/nai^o/u 


i 


TO  THE 


HOME 


OF 


HI^tORICAL  Rd^A^NCE  OF  THE 


■^111^^? 


ACADIAMS. 


BY 


MDE.  MOREL  OE  U  DURAWTAYE. 


DETROIT: 
188S, 


^n 


A  VISIT 


TO  THE 


HOME 


OF 


EVANGELINE 


HISTORICAL  ROMANCE  OF  THE 
ACADIANS. 


BY 


•  <'   • 


•      I 


•WDt/MOREL  DE  LA  DURAN7AYE.    ' 


DETROIT: 

1898. 


•   I 


''^Lbin'tT'aimef  l*a  guerre  il  l^abhore 
.     En.CrjgmRliaiit* pf^pil  'MPf^f;  . 
•  •*  •L'fes  desa6tr«&'cfH''elle  pr(KJu?w»'  '  ■'• 
Et  courronne  par  la  victoire, 
11  gemit  de  sa  propre  gloire 
Si  la  paix  n'en  ai  pas  le  truit" 


INTRODUCTORY. 


My  Dear  Friend — I  hear  you  have  returned  from 
your  pilgrimage  to  the  Maritime  Provinces,  and  that 
you  were  at  Grand  Pre  the  anniversary  day  of  the 
mournful  expatriation  of  those  poor  Acadians.  How 
great  would  have  been  my  pleasure  could  I  have 
shared  the  deep  emotion  you  must  have  experienced 
in  visiting  this  beautiful  village,  as  also  the  church 
and  cemetery,  from  which  these  unfortunate  people 
were  banished,  and  at  the  sword's  point  compelled 
to  follow  the  road  to  exile! 

Permit  me  to  learn  from  your  pen  what  of  the  past 
now  remains  of  our  poor  Acadia?  What  ruins  still 
stand  of  the  once  beautiful  and  ancient  Port  Royal, 
and  also  of  the  forts  Beausejours  and  Beau  Basin? 

I  remain  in  anticipation. 

Your  grateful  friend. 

G. 


Very  Dear  Friend — You  write  me  as  though  I  had 
returned  fr.  m  Acadia,  my  hands  filled  with  archao- 
logical  spoils.  Do  not  deceive  yourself.  In  visiting 
Acadia,  I  obeyed  a  request  addressed  me  by  His 
Honor  the  Mayor  and  the  Aldermen  of  Montreal  to 
kindly  interest  myself  in  a  charitable  cause,  and  to 
go  where  fancy  directed  mc  in  the  interest  of  my 
work.  Therefore,  in  tracing  my  itinerary,  it  is  not 
surprising  that  I  should  remember  the  home  of  my 
ancestors;  for  it  is  among  those  who  have  suffered 
that  we  must  seek  and  receive  tender  sympathies. 

Although  my  journey  to  the  Maritime  Provinces 
has  been  a  mission  of  charity,  I  have  not.  however, 
been  able  to  traverse  this  ground — watered  with  thi- 
tears,  and   immortalized   by   the   ineffectual   despair 


59490 


of  so  many  brave  French,  consigned  to  extermina- 
tion as  a  populace— without  the  powerful  remem- 
brance of  ;he  past  taking  possession  of  my  senses 
and  filling  them  with  the  melancholy  drama  now  for- 
gotten ! 

Yes,  I  visited  the  cemetery  and  saw  the  tombs, 
though  time  has  effaced  the  names  they  once  bore, 
and  there  I  drank  long  draughts  from  the  chalice  of 

memory. 

You  desire  to  know  what  impressions  T  received 
and  to  read  the  notes  gathered  so  hurriedly  in  the 
course  of  this  busy  pilgrimage.  T  yield  to  your  de- 
sire, and  will  simply  copy  what  I  have  already 
written;  this  recital  will  necessarily  be  disengaged 
from  all  elegance  of  style,  but  I  do  not  think  the 
artifices  of  rhetoric  will  be  required  to  captivate, 
impress  and  interest  you;  it  is  with  confidence, 
therefore,  that  I  give  complete  liberty  to  my  inex- 
perienced pen. 

This  report  will  be  divided  into  two  parts;  the 
first  will  treat  on  the  merits  of  the  Acadian  charac- 
ter, and  the  second,  on  the  expulsion  of  the  Aca- 
dians,  substantiated  by  documents  which  are  unpub- 
lished, and  from  authentic  and  historical  data  in  the 
possession  of  the  writer. 


The  Acadians. 


Departure  from  Montreal. 

CHAPTER  I. 

On  the  1st  day  of  September,  at  eight  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  I  left  Montreal.  I  do  not  recall  the 
writer  who  said  there  is  no  pleasure  so  sad  as  that 
of  parting. 

"Parting  is  such  sweet  sorrow." 

I  know  that  this  is  true  and  false  at  the  same  time. 
Nothing  is  truer  if  the  traveler  has  no  object  in 
view,  and  is  ^imply  going  through  the  world  like  the 
Wandering  Jew;  he  may  change  his  residence  never 
so  often,  he  will  always  find  that,  as  Boileau  says, 
"Weariness  mounts  in  the  same  saddle  and  gallops 
with  him,  or  takes  passage  in  the  same  conveyance 
and  travels  by  his  side!" 

Quite  different  with  the  traveler  who  has  an  object 
to  attain,  the  monotony  of  the  journey  is  dispersed 
by  the  activity  of  thought,  in  planning  and  viewing 
the  result  of  a  successful  journey.  Although  I  was. 
going  on  a  mission  of  charity,  my  journey  was 
nevertheless  charming,  and  my  ardent  desire  to  re- 
visit the  home  of  my  ancestors  caused  an  anxious 
longing  for  a  speedy  arrival  at  my  destination. 

I  traveled  all  through  the  Maritime  Provinces, 
and  at  every  door  I  knocked.  I  am  pleased  to  say,  I 
was  made  welcome  with  a  hearty  hand  shake,  al- 
though in  many  places  I  am  sure  I  received  the  last 


spare  farthing  the  home  possessed!  "You  come 
from  Canada,  niadame?"  many  have  said  to  me. 
"We  love  them  dearly,  the  Canadians,  because  they 
are  like  us  French."  I  wtLs  profoundly  touched  and 
moved  by  these  few  words  which  bespoke  the  ten- 
derness and  loyalty  of  the  Acadian  heart;  and  I  can 
never  forget  the  kindly  generosity  of  the  Bishops 
of  Portland,  Halifax,  New  Brunswick  and  Charles- 
town,  as  also  those  good  priests  who  had  only  to 
speak  the  word  to  their  parishioners  and  their  purses 
outpoured  liberal  contributions. 

I  had  much  reason  to  count  on  the  generosity  of 
the  Acadians,  and  will  always  remember  with  grati- 
tude these  dear  people  who  have  remained  so  faith- 
ful and  patriotic. 


Origin  of  the  Acadians. 

CHAPTER  II. 

Of  the  many  who  have  read  Longfellow's  "Evan- 
geline." how  few  there  are  who  fully  realize  that 
the  poet's  pathetic  Acadia  is  but  the  picture  of  a 
sensitive  people,  portraying  their  simpL  mode  of 
life  and  their  multiple  misfortunes.  Yet  our  Nova 
Scotia  once  bore  that  romantic  name,  ar  1  her  pcoi)Ie 
were  the  Acadians  of  history,  romance  and  song. 

The  story  carries  us  back  to  that  long  ago.  when, 
from  the  frozen  sea  to  the  tropical  gulf,  this  vast 
country  was  an  unknown  wilderness,  its  solitude 
unbroken  save  by  the  few  English  colonies  on  the 
Atlantic  shore  of  what  is  now  the  United  States, 
and  the  French  settlements,  in  Canada;  each  claim- 
ing that  which  belonged  to  neither,  and  each  fiercely 
jealous  of  the  other. 

Thus  the  two  most  powerful  nations  of  Europe 
sought  extension  of  dominion,  and  addition  of 
wealth,  while  colonists  of  all  classes  from  various 
quarters,  endeavored  to  improve  their  condition  by 
casting  their  fortunes  in  the  wilds  of  the  "Now 
World." 

The  experience  of  all  these  early  pioneers  was 
usually  pitiful  in  the  extreme,  it  not  infretiucntly 
happening  that  they  fell  victims  to  cold,  starvation 
and  drtsease,  to  the  hostility  of  neighboring  adven- 
turers, or  to  the  tomahawk  of  the  savage,  to  be 
finally  either  entirely  destroyed  or  as  a  tattered  rem- 
nant return  to  their  old-time  homes. 

Among  those,  who  so  early  as  1604  -cast  their  lot 
in  the  western  wilderness,  was  a  body  of  French 
people  from  Notmantlx-,   who  chanced  to  fix  their  new 


homes  in  Acadia,  the  peninsula  now  known  as  Nova 
Scotia.  This  effort  proved  a  failure,  especially  be- 
cause of  the  inroads  of  settlers  from  the  English 
colonies  of  Virginia,  who  claimed  the  peninsula  by 
right  of  discovery  and  whose  people  led  by  a  free- 
booter in  the  end  utterly  destroyed  the  colony. 

The  French  government  had  given  the  rugged 
reahn  its  tropical  name,  but  in  the  turmoil  of  the 
rations  the  English  obtained  possession  and  in  1621, 
"with  greater  fitness,  pronounced  it  to  be  Nova 
Scotia,  or  New  Scotland.  But  neither  tropical  nor 
frigid  designation  brought  to  them  quietude  to  its 
borders.  It  became  the  shuttlecock  of  war  and 
diplomacy.  In  due  time  the  French  became  its 
master,  to  be  overcome  by  their  persistent  enemy 
in  1654.  Thirteen  years  later  the  French  were  in 
power,  fickle  fortune  returning  it  to  the  English  in 
1714.  Thus,  the  past  has  shown  little  certainty  of 
tenure  of  possession,  and  that  the  imperious  English 
so  deemed  it  is  amply  shown  in  the  fact  that  the 
treaty  by  which  it  was  secured  to  them  contained  the 
to  them  galling  proviso  that  their  new  subjects,  the 
Acadinns.  or  French  citizens  of  Nova  Scotia,  might 
enjoy  freedom  of  worship,  being  Catholics,  while 
the  Engli.H'h  government  w^as  intensely  Protestant. 
and  still  more,  they  were  granted  immunity  from 
military  service,  being  thus  permitted  to  enjoy  the 
benefits  of  a  government,  and  be  in  it  protected, 
without  being  compelled  to  raise  a  hand  even  in 
fheir  own  defense.  This  unprecedented  favor  may 
have  partly  risen  from  the  fact  that  joining  the 
English  forces  they  would  be  brought  face  to  face 
with  her  hereditary  foe.  and  thus  be  compelled  to 
battle  against  personal  friends  and  relatives;  but, 
odious  as  this  tacit  citizenship  must  have  been  to  the 
haughty  English  government,  it  must  in  justice  be 


stated  that  the  treaty  was  faithfully  kept.  It  seems 
strange  that  the  well-known  vicissitudes  and  turmoil 
did  not  act  as  a  bar  to  emigration.  During  each 
period  in  which  France  held  the  territory  her  people 
with  consummate  pertinacity  established  homes  in 
Acadia.  The  English  with  equal  blindness  occupy- 
ing New  Scotland  during  their  time  of  possession. 

This  seems  all  the  more  surprising,  when  the  fact 
is  recalled,  that  the  various  changes  in  mastery  so 
briefly  noted,  were  always  the  result  of  bloody  and 
harassing  struggles,  participated  in  by  both  French 
and  English  regular  troops,  the  militia  or  citizen 
soldier  of  both  sides,  in  every  case  each  party  being 
aided  by  the  bloodthirsty  Indians,  who  spared 
neither  age  nor  sex  and  in  whose  hands  immediate 
death  was  usually  a  desired  blessing.  The  cheek 
alternately  pales  with  anger  and  blushes  with  shame, 
as  we  review  the  history  of  the  part  taken  by  either 
party  in  these  fierce  contests  for  empire;  contests 
which  excited  the  deepest  concern  in  the  great  cap- 
itals and  courts  of  Europe  three  thousand  miles 
away. 

The  Acadians  not  only  brought  with  them  the 
habits  of  the  Norman  peasant,  but  adhered  to  their 
peculiarities  with  unyielding  tenacity. 

The  French  spirit,  always  gay,  always  quick  to 
act,  prompt  at  repartee  had  preserved  itself  among 
the  Acadians,  though  they  had  no  other  instructions 
than  the  solid  principles  of  Christianity.  Moderate 
in  their  tastes,  simple  in  their  habits,  they  had  few 
wants,  and  were  contented  with  their  fate.  In  con- 
sequence they  became  noted  for  their  patient  and 
persistent  toil,  for  their  devotion  to  the  religion  of 
their  fathers  and  an  ardent  pride  in  their  fatherland. 
Totally  devoid  of  those  ambitious  aims  which  fire 
the  hearts  of  other  people  they  sought  nothing  be- 
yond their  modest  homes.    As  to  their  morality  no 


10 


other  proof  is  needed  than  that  of  the  fecundity  of 
their  families.  The  incomparable  fertihty  of  their 
farms  gave  to  them  in  a  few  years  sufficient  means 
to  easily  establish  their  children  near  by,  and  they 
themselves  be  permitted. to  enjoy  a  comfortable  old 
age.  Every  impulse  of  their  hearts  centered  there; 
no  toil  was  too  severe  if  it  but  tended  to  increase 
their  humble  store.  The  soil  of  the  low  grounds 
being  most  fertile,  they  built  dikes,  by  which  the 
waters  were  controlled,  thus  converting  marshes 
into  reclaimed  fields  where  the  cereals  grew  in  abun- 
dance, while  thousands  of  cattle  grazed  on  the  ad- 
jacent plains.  They  indulged  in  none  of  the  vanities 
that  corrode  and  impoverish  more  pretentious  com- 
munities, but  frugality  reigned  supreme.  Without 
education,  and  relying  on  the  "Cure"  for  instruction 
and  guidance  in  all  essential  things,  they  kept  aloof 
from  others,  desiring  most  to  be  by  the  boisterous 
world  forgotten.  Absence  of  ambitious  aims  sim- 
plified their  wants  and  rendered  possible  the  exist- 
ence of  such  a  typical  band  of  brothers,  who  asked 
only  to  be  permitted  to  enjoy  their  toil,  their  con- 
tentment, neighbors  and  religion. 

It  would  seem  that  these  meager  favors  were  their 
due  and  should  have  been  accorded  them,  but  in- 
stead they  were  the  victims  of  the  fierce  contestants 
for  power  and  empire.  Long,  weary  years  ot  conten- 
tion with  repeated  change  of  ruling  powers  had  at 
last  resulted  in  the  treaty  of  1713  before  referred  to, 
apparently  bringing  with  it  the  long  desired  repose. 

Under  the  English  regime,  in  accordance  with  the 
terms  of  this  compact,  nearly  half  a  century  had 
passed,  the  Acadians  being  nominally  English  sub- 
jects, but  clinging  with  the  keenest  ardor  to  old 
memories,  bound  in  every  sympathy  to  those  who 
spoke  their  native  tongue,  and  who  in  every  way 
were  to  them  most  dear  and  congenial.    In  every 


XI 

sense  their  rulers  were  to  them  foreign,  the  name 
engrafted  on  their  land  cold  and  cheerless,  their 
dreams  reveled  in  "Acadia." 

Thus  the  embers  of  unrest  were  ever  warm  m  their 
bosoms,  and  calm  and  well  disposed  as  they  were,  it 
required  but  little  effort  to  fan  them  into  a  blaze.  To 
the  interior  Canadian  colonies,  conditions  e\'er  pres- 
ent promoting  active  effort.  Nova  Scotia,  now  an 
English  province,  occupied  a  position  on  their  east- 
ern borders  that  largely  interfered  with  their  access 
to  the  ocean,  which  was  not  only  the  highway  of 
commerce,  but  the  only  means  by  which  they  could 
maintain  communication  with  France. 

Fierce  tribes  of  Indians,  attached  by  interest  to 
the  Canadian  colonies,  occupied  adjacent  lands,  and 
secret  emissaries  were  always  busy  in  arousing  acri- 
monious feelings  in  the  hearts  of  both  the  gentle- 
souled  Acadians  and  the  brutal  savages. 

To  the  English  the  accorded  neutral  citizenship 
was  extremely  distasteful,  and  when  to  this  was 
added  the  unrest  wrought  by  the  agents  of  France 
it  became  odious.  They  were  further  both  vexed 
and  alarmed  by  the  erection  of  a  French  fort  just 
over  the  line.  This  was  situated  at  Beausejour  and 
adjacent  to  the  district  of  mines,  on  a  narrow  isth- 
mus connecting  Nova  Scotia  with  the  mainland  of 
Canada  and  seemed  significant  as  the  "Basin  of 
Mines  was  the  most  populous  and  also  the  wealth- 
iest of  the  Acadian  settleme^nts.  Whatever  the  real 
purpose  may  have  been,  the  fort  and  its  occupancy 
by  the  French  troops  was  a  constant  menace  to  the 
rulers  of  the  Province. 


Surrender  of  the  Fort. 

CHAPTER  III 

The  tempest  was  slowly  but  surely  gathering.  But 
through  all  the  perplexing  situations  the  Acadian 
people  kept  as  much  aloof  from  participation  as 
possible.  Their  purpose  and  intent  was  to  remain 
true  to  their  obligations  as  neutrals,  but  being  flesh 
and  blood  and  the  continued  prey  of  those  who  by 
secret  persuasion,  and  every  possible  device,  sought 
to  lead  them  to  some  measure  that  would  result  to 
the  advantage  of  the  French  provinces,  and 
through  this  means  to  the  government  of  France 
what  could  be  expected  as  the  result?  With  all  this 
they  greatly  preferred  to  till  the  soil,  tend  their 
herds,  and  live  in  peace,  that  with  far  fewer  excep- 
tions than  could  be  expected,  they  persisted  in  the 
pursui-t  of  their  pastoral  career.  At  last  the  tempest 
had  gathered  its  forces;  a  cloud  of  ill-omen  over- 
cast the  sky.  The  drama  of  turmoil,  of  battle,  of 
unrest  and  unchanging  rulers  was  about  to  ter- 
rhinate  in  tragedy.  The  innocents  were  again  to 
suffer:  the  only  ones  that  could  be  by  any  means 
accounted  guiltless,  were  to  be  made  the  victims  of 
an  aet  that  thrills  every  sensibility  of  the  human 
heart. 

The  American  colonies  were  in  fact  a  part  of 
England  and  represented  her  interests  in  precisely 
the  same  sense  that  the  Canadian  colonies  repre- 
sented (their  home  government. 

Through  the  instrumentality  of  the  former  an  ex- 
pedition was  fitted  out  in  1755  to  reduce  the  fort  at 
Beausejours.  the  ultimate  object  being  to  destroy 
French    influence    in    Nova    Scotia,    thus    making 


13 

it  practically  and  really  an  English  province.  The 
fleet  sailed  from  Boston  harbor,  and  on  arrival  near 
their  destination  was  joined  by  a  force  of  British 
regulars  under  Col.  Moncton,  who  took  command 
of  the  whole.  The  negotiations  with  the  English 
government  and  preparation  of  the  expedition  had 
been  conducted  with  so  much  care  that  the  occu- 
pants of  the  fortress  were  surpri-^ed  at  tb  appear- 
ance of  the  enemy.  Their  consternation  qu.ckly  ex- 
tended to  the  A'cadians  who,  with  instinctive  French 
predilections,  required  only  a  threat  from  the  com- 
mandant oif  the  French  forces  to  lead  many  to  cast 
their  fortunes  with  them.  Not  knowing  what  was 
reailly  involved,  believing  their  all  to  be  in  peril  at 
the  hands  of  practical  freebooters,  they  accepted  the 
only  apparent  chance  for  self-preservation.  Ren- 
dered desperate  by  the  gloomy  outlook,  some  three 
hundred  joined  the  troops  in  the  fort,  while  many, 
being  undecided  to  the  last  moment  what  was 
best  to  do,  finally  hid  their  families  in  the  woods  and 
fought  the  invader  from  any  cover  they  could  find 
Heroic  but  mistaken  purpose,  idle  effort;  the  hand 
of  fate  was  upon  them,  they  struggled  against  des- 
tiny. 

The  fort  surrendered  after  feeble  resistance,  and 
the  misguided  Acadians  were  at  the  mercy  of  the 
English  who,  having  granted  them  neutrality,  now 
pronounced  them  traitm"s. 

With  mock  generosity  they  pardoned  this  grave 
offense,  but  there  awaited  them  a  doom  no  less 
grievous.  It  is  this  doom  at  which  every  sentiment 
of  humanity  revolts  against  stamping  the  perpetra- 
tors as  men  worthy  the  brand  of  Cain.  No  claim  of 
precedent,  no  plea  of  national  policy  can  be  made  to 
hide  the  infamy  of  that  at  which  the  hearts  of  all 
good  men  rebel.    Precedent  does  not  palliate  wanton 


14 

torture,  physical  and  mental,  more  than  it  excuses 
the  savage  for  burning  his  victim  at  the  stake.  The 
course  pursued  had  not  even  the  manly  quality  of 
open  dealing,  but  consisted  in  a  series  of  schemes, 
each  oif  which  was  a  trap  so  that  turn  which  way 
they  might,  the  intended  victims  must  at  last  suffer 
the  sentence  of  spoliation  and  expatriation.  The 
purpose  was  perfectly  hidden  until  the  fatal  line 
was  passed. 

Having  been  forgiven  for  joining  hands  with  the 
enemy  in  the  recent  contest  at  the  fort  of  Beause- 
jours,  their  hearts  were  sufficiently  softened  by  the 
unexpected  clemency,  to  respond  promptly  through 
their  representatives  that  they  were  willing  to  take 
the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  British  crown,  a  sum- 
mons having  been  issued  to  them  to  determine  the 
matter.  These  representatives  were,  however,  as- 
tounded when  informed  that  the  old  time  treaty  pro- 
viso, granting  them  immunity  from  bearing  arms 
and  also  allowing  especial  religious  privileges,  could 
no  longer  be  tolerated  and  would  not  be  permitted. 
The  oath  must  now  be  taken,  without  proviso  or 
reservation,  as  an  evidence  of  complete  abandon- 
ment of  any  former  allegiance.  This  measure  was 
wholly  unexpected  and  to  them  shocking  to  the  last 
degree.  The  representatives  could  not  at  once 
answer  for  their  constituency,  in  faot  could  do  no 
less  than  to  return  to  them  for  instruction  in  a  mat- 
ter so  vital  to  their  interests.  When  they  returned 
for  final  consultation,  the  trap  was  sprung;  it  was 
pronounced  too  late.  Pronouncing  the  delay  an  evi- 
dence of  unwillingness  and  insincerity,  the  oath 
could  not  now  be  taken  ait  all  or  in  any  form,  and 
the  suppliants  were  their  government's  outcasts. 
Thus,   step   by   step   the   cords   were   being   drawn 


15 

closer,  there  being  from  the  beginning  no  intended 
method  of  escape. 

Wandering  blindly  in  a  desert  of  doubt,  the  peas- 
ants went  on  with  their  harvest  labor,  without  a 
dream  of  calamity  greater  than  had  so  ofiten  befallen 
them,  that  with  it  they  were  as  familiar  as  with  tho 
face  of  an  old-time  friend.  It  was  just  as  well,  as 
neither  negligence  nor  diligence  could  change  their 
predetermined  fate. 


GOV.    LAWRENCE   AND   WINSLOW    PLANNING   THE   TUANSPORTAT'ON. 


The  further  development  and  execution  of  the 
diabolical  plot  required  great  care  and  secrecy,  from 
fear  of  a  revolt,  to  quell  which  would  result  in 
slaughter.  Only  such  delay  occurred  as  was  un- 
avoidable.   While  the  husbandmen  were  occupied  at 


i6 

their  labor,  the  commanding  officers  were  busy  per- 
fecting every  detail,  and  issuing  the  orders  of  the 
"Trjovincial  Governor,"  who  represented  the  British 
crown  to  his  military  subordinates,  detailing  their 
duty  at  each  of  the  French  or  Acadian  settlements. 
Of  these  there  were  several,  each  one  a  little  world 
within  itself. 


The  Acadians  Prisoners. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  2d  of  September,  1755,  the  licntenant-colonel, 
Winslovv,  under  pretext  of  devotion,  hastened  to 
Murray  to  be  sure  nothing  had  happened  in  am- 
bush. It  was  here  understood  that  a  meeting  should 
be  called  at  the  two  districts  the  following  Friday 
at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Consequently  a 
proclamation  was  issued,  which  was  translated  into 
the  French  language  by  a  merchant  nameu  Beau- 
champ. 

The  proclamation  addressed  to  the  Acadians  read 
as  follows:  "John  Winslow,  Esquire,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  and  commander  of  his  Majesty's  troops  at 
Grand  Pre,  Gasporeaux  Mines,  Canard  River,  and 
adjacent  districts, — to  the  inhabitants;  oild  men. 
young  men  and  boys.  His  Excellency  the  Governor 
desires  to  inform  all  of  resolutions  from  his  majesxy. 
We  order  strictly  all  inhabitants  as  all  boys  over 
ten  years  of  age  to  assemble  at  the  Grand  Pre 
church  the  following  Friday,  the  fifth  of  the  current 
month,  at  three  o'clock  of  the  afternoon  thereby,  to 
communicate  to  them  orders  received,  hereby  de- 
claring attendance  demanded  without  any  excuse 
or  pretext  for  absenice  under  pain  of  confiscation  O'i 
all  goods  movable  and  immovable.  Given  out  at 
Grand  Pre  the  2nd  day  of  September,  twenty-ninth 
year  of  his  majesty's  reign,  A.  D.  1755." 

On  its  face  this  notice  was  entirely  innocent  and 
in  some  places  was  fully  and  in  others  partially  com- 
plied with.  Possibly  some  might  have  noticed  on 
that  morning  extraordinary  military  precautions  had 
been  quietly  taken,  the  strictest  discipline  observed 


i8 

and  the  troops  supplied  with  powder  and  ba'l.  There 
could  have  been  nothing  beyond  a  suspicion  as  the 
dread  secret  was  unknown  save  to  a  few  trusty 
officers  who  were  sworn  to  absolute  secrecy. 

The  two  commanders  now  hurried  their  officers 
to  the  two  principal  centers  to  affix  this  proclama- 
tion. They  found  the  inhabitants  everywhere  in 
the  fields  and  suspecting  nothing. 

The  following  day  at  noon  the  whole  American 
detachment  were  under  arms  at  the  entrance  to  the 
Grand  Pre  church,  their  guns  loaded  ready  to  fire. 

Winslow,  in  grand  uniform,  surrounded  by  his 
staff  was  stationed  at  the  door  of  the  presbytery. 
His  anxious  looks  were  frequently  turned  toward 
the  different  roads  which  led  to  Grand  Pre.  He 
could  not  repress  the  expression  of  secret  joy  plainly 
visible  on  his  features  as  he  saw  the  inhabitants  ap- 
proaching in  long  files,  those  near  by  were  coming 
on  foot,  and  others  from  the  Mines,  Canards  river, 
and  the  interior  farms  were  coming  in  wagons. 

At  precisely  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  four 
hundred  and  eighteen  Acadians  of  all  ages  were 
assembled  in  the  church. 

When  the  last  one  had  entered  the  doors  were 
closed  and  guarded  the  commander  and  a  few- 
officers  took  their  places  in  front  of  the  altar  where 
a  table  stood  on  which  he  placed  his  instructions 
and  the  address  he  was  about  to  read.  For  a  mo- 
ment his  eye  glanced  at  the  sunburnt  faces  fixed  on 
him  with  an  expression  of  anxious  silence  after 
which  he  read  the  following  address  immediately 
translated  to  the  French. 

"Gentlemen. — I  received  from  his  excellency, 
Governor  Lawrence,  these  instructions  from  the 
king  which  I  hold  in  my  hands:  it  is  by  this  order 
that  I  declare  you  all  and  make  you  prisoners  in 


X9 

the  name  of  the  king  and  I  hope  that  in  whatever 
part  of  the  world  your  fortunes  may  be  cast  you 
will  be  faithful  subjects  and  a  peaceable  and  happy 
people."  He  continued,  "I  must  also  inform  you 
that  it  is  his  majesty's  pleasure  that  you  shall  be 
retained  in  the  custody  and  discretion  of  the  troops 
which  I  have  the  honor  to  command." 

Winslow  finished  his  discourse  by  declaring  them 
all  for  the  second  time  prisoners  of  the  king. 


The  astonishmenit  and  consternation  of  the  Aca- 
dians  on  hearing  this  sentence  is  easier  imagined 
than  described.  This  awful  communication  coming 
like  a  thunderbolt  so  appalled  the  prisoners  that 
they  doubted  what  they  heard;  but  all  became  too 
plain  for  doubt  when  they  saw  the  stern  sentry  at 
the  door,  and  beyond  them  the  guard  under  arms. 
Then  their  strong  hearts  bowed  under  the  weight 
of  wretchedness.  Instantly  passed  before  their  eyes 
as  in  a  panorama,  their  homes,  their  families  and 


20 

every  sacred  tic,  now  suddenly  to  be  severed  for- 
ever; their  fertile  fields  and  well  filled  barns,  their 
herds  grazinp:  on  the  plains,  lost  to  them.  Anguish 
rent  every  heart;  they  were  now  exiles  and  outcasts 
without  country  or  home.  Seated  in  their  place* 
in  painful  expectation,  they  began  to  realize  the  full 
extent  of  the  blow;  all  they  held  dearest  in  the  world 
was  lost,  themselves  prisoners  and  their  families 
doomed  to  perpetual  exile. 

They  now^  understood  that  the  vague  suspicions 
they  had  refused  to  entertain  were  indeed  too  well 
founded,  and  that  this  pretense  of  assembly  was  but 
an  infamous  trap  into  which  they  had  allowed  them- 
selves to  be  led;  yet  they  did  not  immediately  realize 
the  full  horror  of  their  situation  as  they  pursuaded 
themselves  there  was  no  such  intention  of  expul- 
sion. They  could  not  believe  there  was  a  single 
minister  in  London  who  would  advise  the  king  to 
set  such  a  trap  for  them  or  give  his  signature  to 
such  a  decree;  and  they  were  right  for  the  whole 
thing  was  an  audacious  falsehood.  Never  had  such 
an  order  left  England.  Far  from  it,  for  precisely  at 
the  moment  when  Lawrence  put  his  plot  into  execu- 
tion and  loosened  the  chains  of  his  American  blood- 
hounds against  the  poor  Acadians  the  cabinet  of 
London  was  not  only  ignorant  of  these  proceedings, 
but  requested  their  representatives  at  that  very  mo- 
ment to  be  cautious  and  adopt  measures  of  peace 
and  conciliation. 

This  exile  was  due  to  the  indiscreet  zeal  of  the 
English  government  representatives  in  this  country, 
tormented  by  their  surroundings  they  submitted  to 
fanaticism,  and  we  may  also  admit  it — to  cowardice. 

But  what  is  still  more  incredible,  is  that  after  these 
intimidations,  when  a  few  Acadians  decided  to  take 
the  oath  of  allegiance  so  doubtful  to  them,  and  pre- 


21 


sented  themselves  to  Lawrence,  he,  instead  of  re- 
ceiving them  and  promising  them  the  quiet  pos- 
session of  their  lands,  haughtily  repulsed  them,  say- 
ing it  was  too  late,  and  that  hereafter  they  should 
be  treated  like  the  miscreant  papists  they  were, 
and  had  them  flung  into  prison. 

Ah!  had  their  been  in  Halifax  a  true  representa- 
tive of  the  cabinet  of  London,  the  Acadians  would 
never  have  been  banished,  and  this  stain  would 
never  have  been  inflicted  on  civilization. 

When,  after  the  famous  assembly  of  the  Sth  of 
September,  the  Acadians  saw  Winslow  go  to  the 
presbytery,  a  few  of  the  older  ones  followed,  beg- 
ging permission  of  him  to  see  their  faniiilies  that  they 
might  tell  them  what  had  happened  to  relieve  their 
anxiety.  After  consulting  with  his  ofBcers  he  :on- 
sented  to  release  twenty  each  day  on  condition 
that  the  remaining  ones  would  be  responsible  for 
their  return,  each  family  being  enjoined  to  bring 
food  for  their  members  who  were  prisoners. 

Their  families  knew  nothing  of  what  had  trans- 
pired until  the  expected  did  not  return,  when  in- 
quiry caught  the  rumor,  and,  like  the  hot  and 
suffocating  simoon,  the  revolting  fact  spread  abroad. 
There  arose  shrieks  of  lamentation  and  agony  in 
every  home.  In  frenzy  women  and  children  rushed 
along  the  streets,  wringing  their  hands  in  despair. 
It  was  the  wailing  of  hopeless  women  for  absent 
loved  ones,  and  for  crushed  hopes  in  every  form — 
everything  near  and  dear  seemed  to  have  been 
gaithered  by  the  hand  of  death,  and  amid  desolation, 
lay  coffined  before  them. 

Some  historians  have  tried  to  deny  that  covetous- 
ness  of  the  Anglo-American  colonies  has  been  one 
of  the  causes  of  the  expulsion  of  the  Acadians. 


22 


We  have  only  to  open  the  collection  of  official 
documents  at  Nova  Scotia  to  find  the  proof.  This 
eagerness  of  gain  dated  back  a  half  a  century;  it 
was  one  of  the  motives  which  engaged  the  provin- 
cials of  New  England  in  1710.  to  enroll  themselves 
in  Nicholson's  expedition  against  Port  Royal. 
"They  possess  the  best  and  largest  farms  in  this 
province,  wrote  Governor  Lawrence  in  I754,  'i^d  I 
cannot  help  thinking  it  would  be  much  better  if 
they  refused  to  take  the  oath,  as  they  might  then  be 
banished." 

In  other  parts  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  an- 
swered. 20th  of  October:  "If  the  chief  judge  is  of 
the  opinion  that  in  refusing  to  give  their  oath  with- 
out reserve,  or  by  deserting  their  establishments  to 
join  themselves  to  the  French,  they  have  forfeited 
their  title  of  proprietorship,  we  desire  that  effica- 
cious measures  be  at  once  taken,  through  legal  pro- 
ceedings, to  place  this  forfeiture  into  execution,  and 
by  this  means  you  will  be  in  a  position  to  grant 
these  lands  to  all  persons  desirous  of  fixing  them- 
selves in  this  district,  where  we  believe  an  establish- 
ment will  be  of  very  great  utility." 

The  ax  had  fallen  successfully  at  Grand  Pre, 
which  was  a  populous  and  thrifty  village,  surround- 
ed by  charming  farms,  with  fields  well  tilled  and 
barns  overflowing  from  the  recent  harvest;  but  not 
with  like  success  at  some  of  the  settlements,  especial- 
ly that  of  Beau  Basin  and  Annapolis,  where  the  peo- 
ple accustomed  of  old  to  seek  in  the  forest  a  refuge 
against  the  cruelties  of  war;  and  where  suspicions 
had  by  some  means  been  aroused,  only  a  portion  re- 
ported as  ordered,  the  remainder  not  waiting  for  the 
completion  of  this  terrible  catastrophe;  the  horror 
of  which  they  only  faintly  imagined,  but  had 
hid   themselves    with    their    families   in    the   woods 


23 

hoping  against  fate  for  something  better  than  their 
fears  had  painted.  Therefore  a  certain  number  only 
fell  into  the  hands  of  their  foes;  and  for  this  reason 
the  American  colonies  did  not  at  once  take  posses- 
sion of  their  lands  on  account  of  the  close  proximity 
of  the  Arcadians,  who  might,  they  feared,  return, 
and  aided  by  the  Indians,  slaughter  them  all. 

The  downfall  of  the  Beausejour  fort,  which  placed 
most  all  of  the  Presque  Tie  in  the  hand.,  of  the 
English,  decided  the  fate  of  the  Acadians.  The 
proof  lies  in  the  fact  that  those  among  them  who 
were  ready  to  take  the  oath  were  showed  no  more 
mercy  than  the  rest,  they  were  also  condemned  to 
exjle.  The  missionaries  being  the  only  friends  who 
remained  faithful  to  them  in  their  misfortune;  for 
instance,  the  Abbot  Millard,  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable, who  remained  faithful  to  them,  even  on 
their  descent  to  the  Gulf;  yes,  and  died  in  their 
midst,  worn  out  with  long  privations  and  fatigue. 
And  the  Abbot  Desenclaves  followed  them,  in  their 
retreat  to  Sandy  Cape,  until  tracked  there  by  the 
English,  he  was  taken  prisoner  with  the  others  and 
landed  on  the  New  England  coast.  Also  the  Abbot 
Laloutre.  who  drew  the  just  reproaches  of  his  Bishop 
upon  himself.  Is  no  merit  due  him  for  having  ex- 
posed his  life  time  and  again  for  his  Hock?  Had 
the  Acadians  heeded  him  when  he  beseeohed  them 
to  emigrate,  when  he  told  them  they  stood  on  u 
volcano,  that  they  had  no  worse  enemf.es  than  those 
who  maintained  them  in  a  false  security,  would  they 
not  have  escaped  their  exile?  And  at  the  moment 
of  the  crisis,  if  his  bravery  and  ind(;fatigable  energy 
had  been  seconded  by  Vergor,  the,  traitor,  could  not 
the  Acadians  have  rallied  and  aided  by  the  Indians 
of  the  environs  of  Beausejour,  prevented  the  down 


24 

fall   of  the   fort  and  by  this   means,   make   imprac- 
ticable the  outrage  on  the  Min',s? 

Murray,  whom  we  will  presently  know  more  of  in 
the  course  of  this  recital,  wrote  to  Winslow,  say- 
ing, in  regard  to  the  troops,  "You  know  that  our 
soldiers  detest  t'he  Acadians,  and  could  they  only 
find  a  pretext  for  killing  them  they  would  do  so." 
This  American  veteran  wl  o  had  accepted  so  un- 
worthy a  mission  of  a  soldier,  had  not  a  quiet  soul, 
and  to  the  credit  of  his  heart  be  it  said,  shrank  from 
it,  for  he  was  conscious  of  the  role  which  he  wai 
about  to  act  and  the  blem"sh  it  would  forever  place 
on  his  name.     From  sev-eral  pages  of  his  journal 

may  be  judged  the  remorse  which  troubled  him.. 

Realizing,  seemingly,  from  his  own  admissions, 
the  depth  of  misery  which  he  was  about  to  create, 
it  seems  strange  that  he  was  not  moved  to  com- 
passion sufficiently  to  cause  him  to  withdraw  from 
such  inhuman  proceedings.  "My  hands  and  heart 
are  heavy,"  he  writes,  "and  I  am  anxious  to  be  done 
with  this  business,  the  most  painful  I  have  ever 
taken  part  in." 

And  in  spile  of  himself  he  kept  contrasting  the 
rural  tenderness  now  present  and  the  wild  despair 
he  would  provoke  in  a  few  days.  This  contrast  ap- 
peared all  the  more  striking,  being  just  the  season 
of  the  year  which  the  Basin  of  Mines  offered  the 
most  seductive  view,  and  at  the  point  from  which 
he  gazed  could  assemble  the  full  details  which 
animated  the  quiet  and  charm  of  the  country.  He 
felt  himself  in  an  atmosphere  of  quietude  and  seren- 
ity, a  solitary  remoteness  ignored  by  the  world,  here 
near  this  sheet  of  water,  scarcely  ruffled  by  the 
sheltered  breeze,  there  by  majestic  heights,  further 
on  by  the  al^rupt  promontory  of  Pare  Epic,  and  be- 


25 

yond  by  a  quiet   descent  which   circles  into   Grand 

Pre. 

In  a  few  days,  however,  this  peaceful  valley,  which 
sheltered  so  many  happy  families,  would  become  the 
most  desolate  spot  on  earth.  The  farmers  scattered 
here  and  there  in  the  field  paused  at  intervals  to  in- 
quire of  each  other  what  this  new  arrival  of  troops 
meant,  but  none  could  answer;  they  only  shook 
their  heads  and  sighed.  Notwithstanding  the  vague 
suspicions  which  came  to  them  from  different  places, 
they  still  had  no  idea  of  the  frightful  catastrophe 
which  was  about  to  fall  on  them!  Following  the  as- 
sembly, the  patrol  were  sent  out  to  trace,  and  seize 
if  possible,  those  who  had  evaded  them  at  the  first 
arrestation.  The  soldiers  fired  without  pity  on  all 
who  attempted  to  escape. 

An  Acadian,  the  name  of  ^Melanson,  having  seen 
the  patrol  in  his  neighborhood,  jumped  on  his  horse 
and  tried  to  gain  the  woods,  but  an   English  ball 
prevented  him,  and  he  fell  to  the  ground  dead!   And 
many  others  suffered  the  same  fate. 

Soon  after  the  church  at  Grand  Pre,  which  had 
been  converted  into  a  prison,  contained  nearly  five 
hundred  unhappy  Acadians.  They  believed  they 
had  given  sufficient  proof  of  their  neutrality  in  de- 
livering up  their  fire  arms,  and  by  so  doing  they 
committed  their  last  and  most  fatal  mistake,  thereby 
placing  themselves  at  the  entire  mercy  of  their 
enemies,  who  were  only  awaiting  a  favorable  occa- 
sion to  lay  the  snare  for  the  Acadians  to  fall  into. 

Five  long,  weary  days  passed  by,  doubt  and  hope 
alternating  in  the  breasts  of  the  imprisoned,  and 
their  families  still  in  their  homes.  Would  the  cap- 
tors carry  away  fathers,  husbands,  sons  and  broth- 
ers? Limited  numbers,  under  careful  guards,  had 
each  day  been  allowed  to  visit  their  families;  would 


26 

this  blessed  favor  be  taken  away?  were  (lucstions 
continually  asked  and  ever  answered  by  a  hopeless 
moan. 

We  cannot  read  without  emotion  the  request  the 
Acadians  presented  to  Winslovv  a  few  days  after 
their  detention. 

"In  view,"  they  said,  "of  the  misfortunes  which 
seem  to  menace  us  on  every  side,  we  come  to  re- 
claim your  protection,  and  to  beg  of  you  to  intercede 
for  us  at  his  Majesty's  throne,  that  he  may  have  a 
little  mercy  for  those  among  us  who  have  inviolably 
held  to  the  fidelity  and  submission  which  we 
promised  his  Majesty,  and  as  you  have  given  us  to 
understand  the  king  has  ordered  us  to  be  banished 
from  this  province,  we  implore  that  if  we  must  aban- 
don our  property  and  homes,  we  may  at  least  be  per- 
mitted to  go  where  we  will  find  some  of  our  com- 
patriots, we  will  willingly  bear  our  own  expenses  of 
transportation,  and  that  a  convenient  length  of  time 
will  be  allowed  us;  furthermore,  we  beg  leave  to 
go  where  we  will  be  permitted  to  preserve  our  re- 
ligion, which  we  have  deeply  at  heart  and  for  w'hich 
we  will  be  contented  to  sacrifice  our  property." 

This  request  remained  unanswered! 

The  early  imprisonment  may  be  regarded  in  the 
light  of  a  precaution  to  prevent  disorder,  which, 
through  some  mischance,  might  have  resulted  from 
delay  and  arousing  of  suspicion.  At  least  it  was 
otherwise  premature,  as  there  were  not  at  command 
a  sufficient  number  of  vessels  to  transport  the  mem- 
bers of  the  colony  which  necessitated  painful  delay. 


Inflexible. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Winslow  had  remained  equally  deaf  to  all  the 
prayers  and  supplications  of  the  women  and  child- 
ren. Seeing-  the  more  daring  ones  openly  show 
their  indignation  and  consult  each  other,  he  became 
fearful  lest  they  might  do  something  desperate;  ac- 
cording to  the  advice  of  his  officers  he  resolved  to 
take  advantage  of  the  arrival  of  five  ships  from 
Boston  which  had  just  anchored  at  the  entrance  to 
the  Gasporeaux  river.  He  was  thus  enabled  to  em- 
bark fifty  captives  on  each  ship. 

Winslow  called  one  of  the  oldest  residents  of  the 
place,  an  old  man  eighty  years  of  age,  known  as 
Father  Landre,  understanding  English  the  best,  he 
was  called  to  act  as  interpreter.  Winslow  bid  him 
tell  the  Acadians  that  two  hundred  and  fifty  among 
them  would  be  immediately  embarked,  beginning 
with  the  young  men;  that  they  had  a  delay  of  one 
hour  to  prepare.  Father  Landre  was  completely 
astounded.  "But  I  told  him,"  adds  Winslow,  "that 
it  had  to  be  done  and  my  ordeis  must  be  executed." 

Each  circling  sun  sternly  reduced  the  hours  of 
stay,  and  when  on  the  designated  morn,  its  light  set 
all  their  beautiful  land  in  glory  before  them,  the 
drums  were  resounding  in  the  village  streets.  At 
eight  o'clock  the  church  bell  tolled  into  the  desolate 
hearts  that  the  fatal  hour  had  come. 

The  melancholy  column  was  formed  and  two 
hundred  and  sixty  young  men  were  brought  before 
the  garrisons  and  placed  in  lines  six  abreast,  then 
the  officers  left  their  ranks;  the  young  unmarried 
men  numbered  one  hundred  and  forty-one.     After 


28 

they  were  placed  in  line  eighty  soldiers  surroimded 
them,  commanded  by  Capt.  Adams.  And  these  un- 
fortunate victims  submitted  without  resistance,  until 
ordered  to  march  toward  the  river  to  embark,  then 
all  refused  obstinately,  saying  they  would  not  leave 
in  this  barbarous  manner. 


THE  liMBARKATION. 


The  pride  and  strength  of  their  manly  hearts  for- 
bade obedience.  They  asked  only  for  their  families 
in  company.  With  them  they  could  bow  to  the 
yoke,  but  to  leave  them  they  would  not.  This  could 
not  be,  and  while  drums  resounded,  the  soldiery  ad- 
vanced with  fixed  bayonets.  Appeals  were  vain,  to 
resist  with  empty  hands  utterly  hopeless.  A  few 
were  wounded,  when  in  despair  the  march  began. 

The  commander  heeded  not  their  cries  or  their 
despair,  but  brutally  separated  tb.e  son  from  the 
father,  the  brother  from  the  sister,  the  husband  from 


29 

the  wife!  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  cruel  dis- 
membering of  families  ,that  nothing  can  ever  justify, 
and  which  has  left  a  stain  on  the  name  of  the  author 
of  it,  which  will  never  be  effaced!  When  we  remem- 
ber that  some  of  these  young  men  were  mere  child- 
ren of  ten  and  twelve  years  of  age  we  realize  that 
these  prisoners  were  not  very  dangerous.  It  is  im- 
possible, therefore,  to  understand  this  refined  in- 
humanity. We  will  permit  Col.  Winslow  himself  to 
recount  this  incident:  "I  ordered  the  prisoners  to 
march.  All  those  little  impudents  answered  they 
would  not  go  without  their  fathers.  I  told  them 
these  were  words  I  did  not  understand;  the  king's 
commands  to  me  were  peremptory,  and  mustt  be 
obeyed,  if  not,  more  vigorous  measures  would  be 
taken.  I  ordered  all  the  troops  to  charge  their  bay- 
onets and  advance  on  this  small  French  vermin.  I 
commanded  the  four  ranks  of  prisoners  to  the  right, 
which  comprised  twenty-:eight  young  men,  I  or- 
dered them  to  separate  from  the  others.  I  seized  one 
among  them  who  tried  to  prevent  the  others  from 
advancing,  bound  him  with  cords  and  threw  him 
into  one  of  the  small  boats  which  was  to  transport 
the  married  men." 

These  poor  children  then  resigned  themselves  to 
obedience,  but  not  without  some  resistance  and 
their  cries  and  lamentations  hurt  even  Winslow. 

A  crowd  of  women  and  children,  among  whom 
were  the  mothers  and  sisters  of  these  little  victims 
were  witnesses  of  these  heart-rending  scenes,  and 
the  cries  of  the  children  who  remained  on  the  shore 
only  increased  the  confusion  around  them. 

The  distance  from  the  church  to  the  point  of  em- 
barkation was  no  less  than  a  mile  and  a  half.  All 
along  the  march  the  unhappy  women  followed  the 
prisoners'  footsteps;  mothers,  wives,  sisters,  sweet- 


30 

hearts  and  babes,  those  who  tottered  from  age,  and 
those  whose  cheeks  were  pallid  with  the  touch  of 
death.  Neither  pen  nor  pencil  can  picture  a  heart- 
agony  nor  can  they  portray  the  fierce  sorrows  ot 
those  who  knelt  by  the  way,  greeting  the  prisoners 
with  tears,  blessings,  and  lamentations,  bidding  them 
as  they  fully  believed  final  adieu,  and  seeking  to 
kiss  even  their  garments  for  a-last  time. 

Another  squad  of  a  hundred  married  men  em- 
barked after  the  first  and  in  the  midst  of  the  same 
scenes.  Husbands  inquiring  for  their  wives  and 
children  who  remained  on  the  shore  begging  the 
officers  to  reunite  them;  who,  in  response,  fixed 
their  bayonets  and  pushed  them  into  the  boats. 
Thus  all  moved  quickly  along  the  melancholy  path, 
though  trembling  hand  clasped  hand  that  trembled, 
husbands  for  a  moment  only  pressed  lips  to  those 
of  wife  and  child  as  they  moved  on  under  the  eyes 
of  the  stern  guard  who  would  noit,  if  they  dare, 
brook  the  least  delay. 

When  from  the  decks  the  prisoners  looked  ashore, 
there  stood  their  loved  ones,  gazing  through  blind- 
ing tears  to  catch  even  a  faint  glimpse  of  those  so 
cruelly  wrenched  from  them.  Riveted  to  the  spot 
the  unhappy  women  and  children  wept  and  wrung 
their  hands  until  "tired  nature"  and  the  gloom  of 
night  fall  forced  them  to  seek  their  homes. 

One  act  in  the  infamous  drama  was  over,  an  act 
that  brought  shame  and  dishonor  into  the  English 
hearts  who  under  orders  compelled  its  execution. 

There  is  a  form  of  mercy  in  ithe  ending  of  torture, 
but  even  this  trifling  boon  was  not  granted  the  un- 
happy Acadians,  for  through  long  weeks  of  weary 
waiting  for  additional  means  of  transportation  they 
lay  anchored  in  full  view  of  their  lost  treasures. 


31 

Horrified  beyond  measure,  incapable  of  thinking 
this  cold  inhumanity  could  be  more  than  temporary, 
the  women  felt  that  tht  persecutors  must  relent,  the 
hard  heart  soften,  the  iron  hand  loose  its  hold,  and 
the  imprisoned  be  returned  to  them.  Soothed  with 
this  "forlorn  hope"  they  turned  their  attention  to 
their  varied  duties,  each  day  by  permission  carrying 
food  from  their  tables  to  those  on  board  the  ships. 
However  harsh  Winslow  may  have  been  to  the 
inhabitants  at  Grand  Pre,  it  was  nothing  compared 
to  the  brutality  of  the  Anglo-American  soldiers,  who 
were  inspired  with  an  inveterate  hatred,  and  wrestled 
without  shame  against  the  Acadians. 

In  a  letter  from  Murray  to  Winslow,  announcing 
his  arrival,  we  read  the  following  passage:  "I  am 
anxious  to  see  all  these  wretches  embarked,  then 
I  will  treat  myself  to  the  pleasure  of  meeting  you 
and  drin^'-ing  a  good  journey  to  them!" 

I  renounce  my  intention  of  describing  the  tortures 
of  this  lamentable  journey  of  the  8th  of  October; 
we  can  with  difficulty  listen  to  the  tales  told  by  the 
great  grand  children  of  the  exiled  Acadians;  tales 
of  this  8th  day  of  October,  which  have  been  handed 
doiwn  to  themi  by  their  ancestors  and  which  will 
never  be  forgotten. 

You  should  hear  them  tell  you  of  this  day  of 
great  disorder.  From  early  morning  crowds  of 
women  and  children  from  Gasporeaux  river  and 
Grand  Pre,  the  old  and  decrepid,  feeble  and  infirm, 
were  dragged  along  in  wagonettes,  while  young 
mothers,  carrying  their  new-born  babe  in  their  arms, 
were  hurried  along  by  the  soldiers;  the  road  seemed 
alive  with  this  feeble  and  despairing  mass  of  people. 
Again  the  drums  beat,  troops  paraded  under  arms, 
and  divided  into  squads,  proceeded  to  the  perfor- 
mance of  the  last  act  of  the  cruel  tragedy.    The  labor 


32 

of  the  housewife,  the  phiy  of  Acadian  children  in 
Acadia,  was  ended.  For  the  last  time  had  been 
heard  there,  their  lullaby,  for  the  last  time  the  prattle 
of  their  babes.  The  order  was  imperative,  the  fatal 
hour  of  embarkation  had  arrived.  Mothers,  wives 
and  children  must  now  join  their  imprisoned  friends, 
not  definitely  as  families  at  the  fireside,  but  as  chance 


■'/■','"'  * 


DEPARTURE   OF   THE   ACADIANS. 


might  determine.  With  this  awful  reality,  the  last 
hope  was  crushed,  and  horror  thrilled  every  heart. 

In  bewildering  griei  and  terror,  almost  unconscious 
of  what  they  did,  some  prized  treasures  were  gather- 
ed together.  Still  reluctant  to  go,  the  soldiery  were 
compelled  to  force  their  departure,  and  amid  tears 
hot    with    agony,    mothers    carried  their  children. 


friends  bore  the  aged  and  infirm  in  melancholy  pro- 
cession to  the  boats  that  were  to  bear  them  to  the 
vessels  awaiting  near  the  shore.  At  each  of  the  vil- 
lages the  same  blood-chilling  scenes  were  enacted: 
without  arms,  and  crushed  beneath  calamnity  the 
Acaclians  melted  into  tears  and  bowed  to  the  atro- 
cious law  of  a  triumphant  foe. 


The  Work  of  the  Incendiaries. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  last  vessel  had  not  yet  cleared  the  entrance  to 
the  Basin  of  Mines,  when  the  captives  which  they 
carried  cast  a  lingering  glance  of  farewell  at  their 
loved  land  and  perceived  small  rings  of  smoke  rising 
from  their  homes  and  curling  themselves  heaven- 
wards. Soon  tiames  burst  through  windows,  crept 
over  roofs,  houses  and  barns  melted  like  wax,  while 
each  stack  of  grain  became  a  huge  cone  of  smoke 
streaked  with  fire,  until  nothing  remained  but  a 
cloud,  that  hung  like  a  pall  over  the  cinders  that 
smoldered  beneath.  The  exiles  could  only  gaze, 
wring  their  powerless  hands  and  weep,  A  loud 
cry  of  anguish  arose  from  every  heart  as  the  flames 
shot  forth  from  their  pretty  church  at  Canards  river, 
knowing  full  well  the  fate  of  the  Grand  Pre  church, 
their  hearts  sank  within  them.  These  two  temples, 
surmounted  by  their  graceful  steeples,  had  cost  them 
many  sacrifices;  the  rich  ornaments  it  contained 
were  presents  sent  from  Louis  XIV.,  and  these  also 
would  disappear  under  the  torch  of  their  persecutors 
and  tyrants. 

The  abandonment  of  their  cemetery  and  their 
loved  ones  therein  was  another  source  of  bitter  pain 
for  those  unfortunate  people.  All  these  relics  of 
veneration  and  profound  attachment  would  soon  be 
trampled  and  crushed  under  the  tyrants  heel  on  this 
ground  so  long  venerated!  Such  were  the  agonizing 
thoughts  of  these  poor  wretches. 

When  the  inhabitants  of  Port  Royal,  who  had 
taken  refuge  in  the  woods,  saw  their  houses  and 
churches  in  flames,  they  had  not  as  yet  dared  leave 


35 

their  retreat;  but  on  seeing  their  property  melt  into 
flames,  threw  themselves  furiously  on  the  incendia- 
ries, killing  and  wounding  twenty-nine;  the  re- 
mainder fled. 

Also  at  Chipody  the  Acadians  who  had  taken 
refuge  with  their  families  in  the  woods,  on  seeing 
the  flames  rise  from  their  homes,  their  blood  instant- 
ly became  heated  beyond  endurance,  guided  by  an- 
ger and  thirsting  for  revenge,  they  hastily  hid  their 
wives  and  children  more  securely  and  hurriedly 
threw  themselves  on  the  enemy,  who,  broken  by  the 
furious  attacks,  hastened  to  their  ships,  leaving  dead 
and  wounded.  For  several  consecutive  evenings, 
the  cattle  would  congregate  around  the  smoking 
ruins  of  the  homes,  as  if  expecting  the  return  of  their 
owners,  while  the  faithful  watchdogs  were  howling 
on  the  deserted  hearths.  Whichever  way  they  turn- 
ed, the  fate  of  these  fugitives  could  be  nothing  less 
than  deplorable  to  the  utmost  extreme.  Their  Eng- 
lish persecutors  were  unrelenting  and  sought  them 
out  in  the  most  unfrequented  places.  Those  that. 
by  dint  of  watchfulness,  suffering  and  dubious  good 
fortune  escaped,  either  hid  in  rocky  caverns,  fens  or 
marshes,  subsisting  by  fishing  and  kindred  methods, 
or  joined  their  comrades  who  had  united  with  the 
French  before  the  battle  at  the  fort,  and  shared 
with  them  their  flinty  destiny.  Others  found  refuge 
in  the  wigwams  of  their  savage  friends  or  wandered 
to  adjacent  islands  within  the  French  borders,  all 
hovering  near  their  lost  treasures.  Detached  groups 
found  their  way  into  the  interior  of  the  Canadian 
settlement,  to  receive  such  care  as  is  meted  out  to 
the  impoverished  and  disconsolate.  Through  some 
chance,  a  group  of  these  people  fixed  their  habita- 
tion on  the  Madawaska,  where,  having  passed 
through  indescribable  privations,  they  gradually  de- 


36 

veloped  comforts,  which,  in  time,  ripened  into  pros- 
perity and  happiness,  and  there,  at  this  day,  may 
be  foimd  an  untarnished  type  of  the  Acadian  people. 
Little  bands  found  resting  places  within  the  provin- 
cial borders,  at  points  remote  from  English  settle- 
ments, their  security  consisting  in  their  poverty  and 
the  unfrequented  locality  of  their  homes. 

In  1763,  the  iron  grip  of  the  British  hand  slightly 
yielded  its  grasp,  permission  being  then  granted  to 
the  expatriated  to  return  and  establish  themselves 
in  Digby  County,  Township  Clare,  a  rough  and 
jagged  place  on  the  southwest  shore  of  St.  Mary's 
Bay,  remote  from  all  habitation  and  accessible  only 
from  the  sea  through  a  narrow  and  rockbound  inlet. 
A  few  promptly  availed  themselves  of  this  meagre 
indulgence.  Long  deprivation  and  suffering  seemed 
to  have  softened  the  memory  of  their  wrongs,  and 
lent  energy  to  their  efiforts.  Labor  for  themselves 
had  in  it  such  pleasurable  quality,  that  soon  the 
rough  lands  were  made  to  yield  their  treasures, 
which,  with  ample  facilities  for  fishing,  enabled  them 
to  secure  life's  comforts,  now  to  them  the  sweetest 
luxuries. 

This  experience  is  sufficiently  heartrendering,  but 
is,  if  possible,  surpassed  by  those,  who,  as  they  glid- 
ed down  the  bay,  gazed  their  last  on  their  native 
land  as  the  flames  shot  upwards  through  the  dense 
clouds  of  smoke.  No  fleet  had  ever  born  on  its 
decks  such  burthen  of  heart-breakings,  decks  that 
were  moistened  with  torrents  of  tears.  No  desola- 
tion can  be  more  dreary  than  transition  of  home  to 
homelessness,  from  loved  land  to  one  which  at  best 
had  no  allurements,  that  could  only  be  a  place  for 
wandering  and  servitude;  from  the  cheers  of  the 
family  fireside  to  a  bleak  and  dreary  desert. 


37 

But  grief  will  often  exhaust  itself  and  yield  at  last 
to  passion,  or  mingled  together  they  find  expression 
by  turns. 

Thus  it  was  on  one  of  the  vessels  sailing  down  the 
Bay  of  Fundy  an  Acadian,  from  Port  Royal,  by  the 
name  of  Beaulien,  asked  the  captain,  with  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-seven  others,  what  part  of  the  world 
they  were  to  be  taken.  "The  first  deserted  island  I 
run  across  will  be  good  enough  for  such  French 
Papists  as  you  are,"  insolently  answered  the  captain. 
Beaulien,  beside  himself  with  anger  and  endowed 
with  extraordinary  strength,  struck  the  captain  a 
blow  which  stretched  him  on  the  de<:k.  This  was 
the  signal,  ahhough  without  arms,  they  threw  them- 
selves on  the  guards,  wounded  several  and  over- 
powered the  remainder,  and  run  the  vessel  ashore 
near  St.  John's  river,  finding  refuge  in  friendly  wig- 
wams. 

The  remaining  fleet  sped  o^i  its  way,  each  vessel 
consigned  by  orders  to  certain  of  the  colonies  along 
the  Atlantic  coast,  where  their  livir^  freight  was 
heartlessly  set  on  shore,  among  these  whose  lang- 
uage was  not  understood,  and  each  to  the  other 
odious  by  long  hostility,  and  where  the  faith  of  each 
was  deemed  by  the  other  a  heresy,  a  wicked  and 
unclean  thing.  According  to  the  Revue  des  Deux 
Mondes  of  1831,  the  nuimber  of  prisoners  thus  re- 
moved from  the  district  of  Mines  amounted  to  4,000, 
and  it  may  be  said  that  the  whole  French  population 
had  been  banished,  as  very  few  could  escape. 

From  the  following  statement  may  be  obtained 
an  idea  of  the  wealth  of  that  country:  Four  thou- 
sand houses  and  five  thousand  stables  were  burned; 
twelve  thousand  oxen,  three  thousand  cows,  five- 
thousand  calves,  six  thousand  horses,  twelve  thou- 


38 

sand  sheep  and  eight  hundred  pigs  were  taken  pos- 
session of.  The  American  colonists,  who  had  long 
since  provoked  the  -measures,  obtained  a  grant  of 
the  land,  and  of  course  the  numerous  herds  were 
not  without  profit  to  some  one;  so  nothing  had  been 
neglected  to  succeed  in  that  canton,  which  was  the 
wealthiest  of  all. 


Fate  of  the  Acadians. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

As  to  the  fate  of  the  Acadians  d-welHng  along-  the 
river  of  Annapolis,  they  threw  themselves  in  the 
woods  at  the  first  suspicion,  for  they  had  for  some 
time  been  accustomed  to  such  tactics,  but  this  time 
it  was  not  a  passing  storm  after  which  they  could 
return  to  their  fields  and  rebuild  their  wooden 
houses.  The  English  levied  on  them  a  lasting  war. 
One  portion  of  the  Acadian  people  of  Annapolis 
were  obliged  to  take  refuge  in  forests  and  deserts, 
with  the  savages,  while  others  scattered  along  the 
shores  where  poor  and  unnoticed  they  earned  their 
living  as  fishermen.  There  for  several  years  they 
siioceed  in  concealing  their  existence,  and  anxie- 
ties and  privations,  hiding  carefully  their  small 
canoes,  not  daring  to  till  the  land,  watching  with 
apprehension  any  English  sail,  and  dividing  with 
their  friends,  the  Indians,  the  supplies  due  to  fishing 
and  hunting.  How  did  these  poor  people  live  in  the 
forests  and  wilderness?  Through  what  succession  of 
dangers  and  sufferings  did  they  pass  in  the  presence 
of  speculators  among  whom  their  lands  were  di- 
vided? This  we  do  not  know.  But  we  are  aware 
that  they  felt  the  pangs  of  hunger  and  cold  and  de- 
fended their  lives  against  wild,  beasts. 

At  the  present  time  we  find  a  small  parish  of 
Acadian  origin,  growing  on  the  ruins  of  their  coun- 
try, in  the  midst  of  British  invaders.  The  popula- 
tion are  French  Acadians  and  Catholics  in  every 
principle,  and  remain  as  an  unconquerable  protest 
of  justice.  They  are  the  inhabitants,  who,  escaping 
from  British  persecution,  took  refuge  in  the  woods. 


40 


and  later  emigrated  into  several  localities  of  St. 
Lawrence.  Imagination  alone  can  follow  their  devi- 
ous fortunes  as  history  has  not  preserved  its  details, 


FKIKNDLY    WIGWAMS. 


more  than  at  the  hands  of  those  so  intensely  dis- 
liked Ihey  received  greater  favors,  and  more  real 
kindness  than  did  the  refugees  at  the  hands  of  their 


41 

Canadian  friends.  But  it  was  not  possible  to  com- 
fort them.  Wherever  they  might  find  refuge  among 
the  colonists  unhappiness  was  still  their  portion.  If 
they  had  few  wants  they  were  keenly  felt,  and  could 
Tiot  be  yielded;  every  tradition  being  a  sacred  thing 
to  which  their  very  souls  were  attached  as  by  hooks 
of  steel.  Their  unrest,  consequently,  never  appeased, 
necessarily  separated,  they  soon  scattered  far  apd 
•widie  in  well-nigh  aimless  purpose,  some  in  after 
years  working  their  way  back  to  Digby  and  Mada- 
■waska.  Others  were  sent  from  Virginia  to  England, 
or  found  refuge  in  the  Norman  land  of  their  fore- 
fathers. 

No  leigend  tells  us  how  or  when  a  portion  of  these 
strangely  unfortunate  people  reached  Louisiana. 
The  long  stretch  of  inhospitable  wilderness  forbade 
a  journey  thither  by  land,  but  it  may  be  readily  sur- 
mised that  some  kind-hearted  captain  took  them  by 
sea  to  the  then  far-away  colony,  where  they  could 
once  more  hear  in  speech  the  music  of  their  native 
tongue. 

Fancy  will  paint  how  memory  of  the  harsh  and 
forbidding  clime  they  had  left  behind,  together  with 
their  suffering  and  poverty,  must  have  vanished 
from  their  minds  as  they  slowly  wended  their  way 
out  of  the  tropical  gulf  into  beautiful  Berwick  Bay, 
and  thence  into  Bayou  Teche  (Bio  Tesh)  extending 
northward  two  hundred  miles,  to  receive  the  silent 
flowing  Atchafalaya  (A-shafala).  We  dwell  with 
them  on  the  scene.  There  is  no:  a  ripple  on  the 
sleeping  Bayou,  a  deep  waterway  from  two  to  three 
hundred  feet  wide,  that,  like  a  ribbon  of  silver, 
stretches  far,  far  away;  on  the  eastern  shore,  stand- 
ing then  as  now,  an  unbroken  forest  of  cottonwood 
and  cypress,  their  lofty  branches  interlacing,  all 
draped  and  festooned  with  Spanish  mos3,  as  if  in 


42 

sorrow  that  the  waters  into  which  their  shadows  fell, 
must  pass  away  to  return  no  more.  On  the  western 
shore  their  eyes  were  greeted  with  charming  undu- 
lations, where  the  live  oak  spread  its  branches,  and 
the  palmetto  rose  in  pretentious  dignity;  where 
roses,  magnolias,  jessamine,  camelias  and  oleanders, 
of  spontaneous  growth,  loaded  the  air  with  intoxi- 
cating perfume,  seeming  to  offer  a  paradise  where 
the  rudest  must  long  to  linger  -md  from  which  the 
blest  could  scarce  wish  to  w?.nder.  Far  up  the 
stream,  on  the  billowy  lands,  the  exiles  established 
a  colony,  in  which  the  gentle-souled  Evangeline 
sought  her  lost  lover;  where  the  habits  of  their  an- 
cestors becoming  firmly  rooted  are  still  untarnished, 
where  the  spinning  wheel  and  loom  are  heard  in 
the  cabin  home;  where  girls  wear  the  Norman 
bonnet  and  petticoat,  and  where  the  village  Cure 
is  their  guide  and  master,  and  church  bells  call  them 
to  that  form  of  devotion  from  which  they  have 
never  swerved. 

Since  then  like  the  passing  of  a  terrible  storm 
leaving  wreck  and  ruin  in  its  track,  the  persecution 
subsided.  The  Acadians  made  use  of  a  kind  of  suf- 
ferance to  establish  themselves  openly  on  the  shores 
that  had  been  their  refuge  for  so  many  years.  Not 
long  after  they  were  joined  by  another  small  por- 
tion of  the  banished.  Such  is  the  origin  of  the 
Acadian  population  in  Canada  that  has  given  its 
name  to  the  parish  called  Acadia,  in  the  county  of 
St.  John,  a  place  made  immortal  by  the  beautiful 

poem  of  Longfellow,  and  is  known  as  the  home  of 
Evangeline. 

A  certain  number  still  remained  scattered  in  dif- 
ferent places,  living  miiserably  in  the  remotest  can- 
tons. 

All  writers  of  Acadian  history  agree  as  to  the 
preservation  of  their  language,  national  character 


43 

and  their  vigilance  in  maintaining  old  customs. 

Families  had  necessarily  been  separated  never  to 
be  reunited,  save  by  such  chance  accident  as  could 
rarely  occur.  Fancy  alone  can  picture  the  joy  of 
such  unexpected  meetings,  and  none  could  be  more 
touching  than  the  story  of  the  lovers,  kindly  handed 
down  to  us  by  authentic  history. 

They  were  to  have  wed  on  the  very  day  on  which 
the  male  inhabitants  of  Grand  Pre  were  made  pris- 
oners. On  his  way  to  the  ship  Jean  stopped  to  kiss 
the  kneeling  weeping  maiden,  and  hurriedly  said: 
"Adele,  trust  in  God  and  all  will  be  well."  On  dif- 
ferent vessels  both  were  landed  in  New  York,  and 
the  maiden  with  her  mother  found  a  home  far  up 
the  Hudson,  from  which  the  former  was  carried 
away  in  an  Indian  raid,  and  made  the  petted  pris- 
oner of  a  chief  in  the  deep  forest  recesses  of  the 
Mohawk  valley. 

In  time  Jean  became  a  trader  with  the  Indians, 
and  in  one  of  his  long  journeys,  one  day  "ap- 
proached the  wigwam  of  the  old  chief,' and  amid  the 
forest  shadows  saw  a  young  woman  with  her  back 
toward  him,  as  she  sat  on  a  mat,  feathering  arrows. 
On  her  head  sat  jauntily  a  French  cap.  With  this 
her  fair  neck  suggested  her  nativity.  He  approached 
her  gently;  their  eyes  met.  The  maiden  sprang 
from  the  mat,  and  uttering  a  wild  cry  of  joy  and 
'Jean/  fell  fainting  in  his  arms." 

Poetry  and  romance  have  vied  with  history  in 
portrayal  of  the  pitiable  experience  of  tlhis  people, 
who  left  France  with  hope  of  bettering  their  lives  in 
the  rugged  wilderness  of  a  far  away  and  unknown 
land. 

Strangely  enough  its  history  presents  the  elements 
of  romance,  and  poetry  and  story  can  scarce  reach 
beyond  the  real  limits  of  cheerless  history. 


44 

A  rugged  land,  an  unostentatious  people,  ever  on 
the  rack  of  misfortune,  but  never  swerving  from  the 
habits  and  faith  of  their  fathers,  Acadia  has  been 
made  by  the  poet's  magic  pen  the  land  of  Evang- 
eline, and  she,  the  pure  souled,  the  patient,  ever  lov- 
ing and  ever  faithful,  the  representative  of  her  peo- 
ple, whose  cup  was  always  well-nigh  filled  with  bit- 
terness, but  who,  like  her: 

"Meekly  bowed  their  heads,  and  murmured. 
Father,  I  thank  Thee." 


A  Touching  Scene. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  following  story  was  recounted  to  me  by  a 
most  worthy  Acadian  veteran  who  assured  me  of  its 
truth,  his  father  being  one  of  the  actors.  While 
crossing  a  wood  he  saw  in  the  distance  three  little 
children,  and  on  drawing  nearer  perceived  they  were 
playing  beside  the  corpse  of  a  woman,  though  they 
did  not  realize  she  would  never  press  them  lovingly 
to  her  breast  again.  "On  seeing  me  approiach  them," 
continued  the  father  of  the  veteran,  "the  elder  of  the 
children  in  terror  called  to  their  only  protector: 
'Mamma,  mamma,  get  up!  Why  can't  you  riset 
Mamma,  here  is  a  bad  man  who  will  again  separate 
us!'  and  the  poor  children  covered  the  body  of  their 
unfortunate  mother  and  tried  to  protect  her.  The 
little  boy  cried  to  me  in  a  determined  tone:  'Do  not 
approach  my  mother,  for  I  will  kill  you!'  the  brave 
little  fellow  continued  with  a  pride  natural  to  the 
Acadians.  'You  must  not  touch  my  mother;  she  is 
sleeping;  she  is  very  tired.'  When  he  saw  I  still 
drew  nearer,  he  caught  up  a  stone:  'I  will  kill  you,' 
he  exclaimed.  One  of  the  little  girls  now  said:  'We 
buried  our  father  over  there.'  'Yes,  and  our  mother 
made  the  large  hole  in  the  ground,'  answered  the 
smallest  of  the  trio.  Then,  with  tears  in  my  eyes.  I 
took  the  little  boy's  hand  and  asked:  'Why  do  you 
want  to  kill  me,  my  little  lad.'  'Because  you  are 
English  and  you  separated  us  and  killed  my  father.' 
The  little  fellow  now  perceived  tears  in  my  eyes^ 
and  he  turned  very  pn'e;  the  two  little  girls  at  ther 
mother's  feet  were  sobbing  aloud.  I  will  not  speak 
of  the  scene  that  occurred  when  these  poor  children 


46 

were  told  their  mother  must  be  buried  and  that  I 
was  going  to  take  them  with  me.  The  little  boy 
with  a  will  and  energy  incredible  for  a  child  of  his 
size  answered:  'Monsieur,  leave  our  mother  and  do 
not  touch  her,  or  I  will  kill  you.'  I  could  no  longer 
control  myself,  but  seizing  the  little  fellow  in  one 
arm  I  grasped  the  little  girls  with  the  other  and 
pressed  them  all  tightly  to  my  bosom,  assuring  them 
of  my  friendship.  I  told  them  I  also  was  in  search 
of  my  wife  and  children. 

"I  buried  this  homeless  wanderer,  and  finally  the 
little  ones  decided  to  follow  me,  for  I  had  com- 
pletely abandoned  my  English  accent,  but  I  wished 
to  know  just  how  far  these  children  were  familiar 
with  their  own  misfortunes.  I  had  not  long  to  wait. 
As  we  walked  onward  the  little  boy  said:  'Sir,  you 
have  told  us  you  were  in  search  of  your  wife;  very 
well,  we  will  assist  you,  but  be  very  careful  not  to 
harm  my  little  sisters  or  we  will  leave  you.'  Eustace, 
what  shall  we  call  this  good  man,'  asked  the  younger 
child,  'The  name  he  wishes.'  'Then  call  me  father, 
my  children,  for  I  will  try  and  be  one  to  you.'  Then, 
Eustace,  you  will  not  kill  him/  quickly  spoke  up 
the  little  girl.  'No,  and  if  he  is  good  to  you  I  will 
be  good  to  him,  and  we  will  find  his  wife  and  we 
will  call  her  mother.'  'Yes,  yes,  we  will  call  her 
mother,'  answered  all  three." 

During  seven  years,  Joseph  Letetlier,  who  tells 
us  the  above  story,  searched  for  his  family,  some- 
times in  the  woods,  now  on  the  borders  of  the  coast, 
interrogating  the  horizon  which  way  to  set  his  sail; 
hiding  his  boat  at  the  least  noise,  for  the  English 
pursued  them  to  the  utmost;  often  he  was  obliged 
to  take  the  three  children  in  his  arms  to  cross  some 
precipice,  which  they  were  unable  to  leap.  I  will 
not  attempt  to  describe  what  this   weary  traveler 


47 

must  have  suffered  with  these  three  younj?  children. 
Never  did  mother  watch  with  more  solicitude  three 
little  beings  than  did  this  brave  man.  It  freciuently 
happened  that  when  tired  and  exhausted  from  fa- 
tigue and  hunger  little  Eustace  would  come  and 
bravely  offer  to  take  his  place,  saying:  "Rest,  father, 
and  sleep  well,  my  little  sisters,  and  I  will  keep 
watch  and  if  the  English  come  and  take  our  boat 
we  will  kill  them  and  throw  them  into  the  river." 

Thus  these  children  knowing  only  turmoil  and 
strife  had  been  taught  to  defend  their  lives  from 
early  youth. 

At  the  end  of  seven  years  Joseph  Lctellier  and  his 
three  orphans  were  sitting  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
gazing  with  melancholy  eyes  towards  Belle  river. 
Away  in  the  distance  near  the  shores  of  the  Ohio, 
floated  a  small  boat  well-filled,  guided  by  Acadian 
oarsmen;  it  carried  a  small  band  of  exiles — a  raft 
from  a  shipwrecked  nation;  united  through  com- 
mon belief  and  common  misfortune,  men,  women, 
and  children,  guided  by  hope  or  by  the  vague 
rumors  were  going  to  seek  in  the  smiling  prairies 
of  Opilansas  their  relatives  banished  like  themselves 
from  Acadian  shores. 

After  four  hours  of  expectation,  during  which  the 
boat  glided  with  the  current,  now  on  the  foam  of  the 
rapids,  now  amid  verdant  isles,  finally  approaching 
the  regions  of  eternal  summer,  where  blossom  the 
orange  flowers  and  citron.  At  last  this  little  boat 
with  its  somber  banner,  hanging  to  the  mast,  made 
its  way  to  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  to  anchor 
there.  Joseph  Letellier  sprang  to  his  feet,  gave  one 
bound  towards  the  boat;  for  he  had  recognized  in 
its  captain  his  own  son.  "Joseph,  my  beloved  son," 
he  cried,  "where  is  your  mother,  your  brothers  and 
sisters?" 


48 

"We  are  but  two  remaininjjf,  Antoinette  and  my- 
self. My  poor  mother  and  the  others  were  unable 
to  survive  so  much  s(;rrow.  misery  and  privatioiu!" 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  grief  of  this  poor 
old  man  on  learning  of  the  death  of  these  beings  so 
dear  to  him;  his  arms  beat  the  air,  and  he  fell  to  the 
ground.  The  brother_and  sister  failed  to  realize 
what  was  going  on,  but  the  two  girls,  Therese  and 
Charlotte,  hurried  to  the  side  of  their  adopted  father, 
crying:    "Assist  our  father!" 


AS    THEY    REACHED    THE   SHORE  JOSEPH    RECOGNIZED    HIS    SON. 

Quick  as  lightning  the  young  captani  like  the 
Acadian  he  was,  briskly  jumped  from  the  boat  to  the 
shore,  closely  followed  by  his  sister.  Then  they 
both  realized  that  it  was  indeed  their  father  whoim 
they  had  found.  They  covered  him  with  caresses  and 
gave  him  the  best  care  their  meager  supplies  af- 
forded. Eustace  returned  from  the  river  with  water, 
while  Therese  with  gentle  hands  bathed  his  temples, 
and  every  one  from  the  boat  hastened  to  the  spot. 


49 

Charlotte  the  eldest  of  the  sisters  tremblingly  asked 
Joseph,  "Are  you  the  son  of  our  adopted  father?" 
and  when  the  captain  replied  in  the  affirmative  she 
murmured:  ''Then  since  you  are  his  children,  my 
sister    and  I  cannot  be  any  longer." 

Mr.  Letellier  opened  his  eyes  as  the  fresh  water 
toiuched  his  face.  "These  poor  children,"  he  said  to 
his  son,  "I  found  them  in  .-the  forest  near  the  body 
of  their  mother  dead  about  six  hours."  He  motioned 
Eustace  to  come  nearer  and  taking  his  hand  placed 
that  of  his  own  daughter  in  it,  saying:  "Eustace, 
promise  to  love  her  and  protect  her."  Oh,  father,  I 
promise  you."  Then  the  poor  unhappy  father  raised 
his  eyes  and  hands  to  Heaven  and  gazing  at  this 
group  of  unfortunate  children  who  had  found  their 
father  only  to  lose  him  again,  tried  to  projriounce 

-the  name  oi  his  son,  "Jos "     He  never  finished! 

His  eyes  closed  never  to  open  again.  But  what  the 
father  had  been  unable  to  finish,  the  hearts  of  the 
young  people  had  understood.  Like  one  and  the 
same  family,  they  threw  themselves  in  each  other's 
arms  and  there  beside  the  corpse  of  their  loved 
father  swore  an  eternal  friendship. 

During  the  last  war  the  Creole  Acadian  women 
fought  as  bravely  as  did  their  fathers  in  the 
ranks  of  the  confederates.  A  regiment  composed 
mostly  of  Acadian  women  was  commanded  by  a 
liand'somje  Acadian.  Captain  Joiseph  LeteUier  mar- 
ried Therese  three  months  after  the  death  of  their 
venerable  father,  who  had  afBanced  them  with  his 
last  breath;  and  Eustace  married  pretty  Antoinette. 

The  devotion  and  patriotism  of  Captain  Letellier 
had  won  for  himself  the  love  and  confidence  of  his 
whole  regiment.  This  gallant  warrior  was  decorated 
only  by  a  white  shoulder  belt  on  which  was  written 
"Vive  Dieu  et  la  France." 


50 

Ah!  It  ib  a  pity  that  the  courtiers  from  the  court 
of  Louis  XIV.  had  not  seen  this  beautiful  regiment 
of  young  women  ranked  in  columns  and  braving 
the  enemy  from  all  sides  with  these  proud  words  of 
response  on  their  lips:  "God,  our  captain,  France 
and  Acadia,"  for  it  is  probable  that  peace  might 
have  been  restored;  for  a  people  in  which  patriotism 
can  inspire  such  devotion  is  worthy  of  respect  and 
justice.  But,  alas!  This  heroism  was  witnessed  only 
by  their  foes  who  at  the  sight  of  this  regiment  be- 
came more  enraged. 

The  general  of  the  enemy's  army  on  hearing  these 
lofty  exclamations  ordered  his  army  to  advance  and 
charge  their  bayonets.  But  this  command  did  not 
frighten  the  regiment  of  women,  who  again  shou-^ied: 
"Long  live  France,  Acadia,  and  our  captain."  Just 
then  the  brave  and  handsome  Commander  Letellier 
quick  as  lightning  passed  in  front  of  the  ranks  and 
with  his  tomahawk  struck  the  general  a  blow  which 
sent  him  headlong  from  his  horse.  The  stupefied 
confederates  now  believed  they  were  dealing  not 
only  with  women  but  a  very  formidable  looking 
band  of  men,  well  armed,  who  seemed  to  rise  out 
of  the  ground.  They  became  cowards;  confusion 
spread  in  their  ranks;  they  retreated,  fleeing  on  all 
sides.  With  this  finished  the  war  record  oi  young 
Letellier. 


New  Parishes  and  their  Founders. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Our  two  young  couple  now  turned  their  attention 
to  their  lost  Acadia,  their  beautiful  home  still  so 
fresh  in  their  memory,  and  accordingly  decided  to 
peipetuate  that  memory  in  their  newly  found  home 
where  they  were  to  find  quiet  and  rest,  in  giving  to 
this  colony  the  loved  name  of  Acadia. 

The  first  band  of  Acadians  who  settled  here  were 
followed  in  1765  by  many  others,  some  coming  from 
Nova  Scotia  where  they  had  been  hidden  in  the 
woods.  These  patriots  founded  on  the  shores  of 
the  Mississippi  the  parishes  called  St.  James  and 
the  Assumption.  The  above  facts  relating  to  the 
Acadians  were  obtained  from  New  Orleans, 

That  small  society  organized  by  the  curate  of  St. 
Mary  has  remained  so  purely  French,  that  we 
might  call  it  a  strand  transplanted  from  lower  Nor- 
mandy with  a  seal  of  originality  striking  to  visitors. 
The  moment  we  enter  the  district  of  Clare,  the 
houses,  the  instruments  of  husbandry,  the  strange 
language,  and  characteristic  customs,  are  surprising 
to  the  traveler.  We  would  not  believe  there  existed 
in.  Nova  Scotia  a  district  with  an  aspect  so  verv 
distinct  from  the  remainder. 

The  Acadians  of  to-day  are  far  from  being  as  far- 
advanced  as  their  neighbors;  they  differ  in  thib  form 
from  their  ancestors  who  were  excellent  cultivators. 
But  this  is  easily  understood  by  those  who  know 
their  history.  Since  their  banishment,  they  have  a 
singular  attachment  to  their  language  and  customs. 
Although  their  trading  naturally  brings  them  in 
contact  with   the   English,   they   never  adopt  their 


52 

manners  or  intermarry  with  them,  nor  do  they  est- 
tablish  themselves  in  English  villages.  This  is  not 
due  to  a  sentiment  of  aversion,  but  rather  from  hab- 
its of  the  national  character  and  their  system  of  edu- 
cation; and  if  they  are  not  endowed  with  as  much  of 
the  spirit  of  progress  as  the  English  colonies  they 
may  favorably  stand  comparison  as  regards  social 
and  domestic  virtues. 

Without  ambition  and  with  wonderful  frugality 
they  live  according  to  their  means;  devoted  to  their 
ancient  culture  they  have  never  been  divided  by  re- 
ligious discords.  With  happy  dispositions  and  moral 
habits  they  enjoy  every  pleasure  compatible  with 
human  nature. 

Clare  is  now  in  a  flourishing  state;  it  owns  sev- 
eral small  vessels  and  the  surplus  of  farm  products, 
and  fishing  profits,  permit  the  farmers  to  enlarge 
and  improve  their  farms  and  purchase  elsewhere 
all  necessary  articles  for  their  comfort. 

They  have  two  chapels  at  either  extremity  of  the 
village.  The  one  built  at  the  oriental  extremity  is 
one  of  the  largest  in  Nova  Scotia  and  does  great 
honor  to  the  generosity  of  the  people  who  have 
completed  it  without  outside  assistance. 

They  have  several  sawing  machines,  and  there 
remains  not  a  trace  of  the  fire  which  consumed  the 
whole  village  in  1820. 

The  greatest  misfortune  to  the  Acadians  has  not 
been  the  fact  alone  of  their  expatriation,  but  in  the 
complete  abandonment  in  which  they  have  been 
left  for  nearly  a  whole  century.  During  this  sad 
period  they  have  had,  we  may  say,  no  means  of  edu- 
cation whatever.  The  greater  number  of  the  Acad- 
ians were  for  years  without  even  missionaries  resid- 
ing among  them  to  instruct  them. 

We  can  conceive  the  ignorance  and  stagnation 
which  must  have  followed.    But  in  our  days  a  new 


53 

era  has  begun  for  the  Acadians,  and  it  coincides  pre- 
cisely with  the  opening  of  the  college  oi  Memra- 
cook  which  has  been  the  principal  cause. 

From  this  college  came  forth  men  thoroughly  in- 
structed, active,  and  animated  with  ardent,  and 
brilliant  patriotism;  who  have  won  their  reputa- 
tion in  different  vocations,  and  who  have  defended 
the  cause  of  their  comrades  both  in  public  and  pri- 
vate life.  We  may  name  among  them  senators  such 
as  P.  P.  Pourrier,  as  distinguished  a  writer  as  he  is 
a  brilliant  politician.  Deputies  of  local  as  well  as 
provincial  legislature,  such  as  Messrs.  Landry,  Le- 
blanc,  Terriault,  Le  Billois,  etc.  Also  lawyers,  phy- 
sicians, and  instructors,  as  well  as  excellent  priests. 
Among  the  latter  we  may  mention  the  Abbot  Car- 
mier,  cure  of  Cocagne,  and  the  great  benefactor  of 
the  college  named  above,  also  the  Rev.  Father  Le- 
febure,  superior  of  the  same  college. 

Each  year  will  add  to  this  splendid  lot  of  men  who 
in  time  will  regain  for  the  Acadian  people  the  posi- 
tion which  they  had  lost  through  their  misfortunes. 

There  are  two  other  French  settlements  in  the 
district  of  Argyle  situated  fifty  miles  further,  the 
one  at  Pubinco,  the  other  at  El  Brock.  In  these  set- 
tlements the  inhabitants  are  called  temperate,  indus- 
trious, and  hospitable.  They  have  fine  herds  of  cat- 
tle, and  are  very  comfortably  built.  Illegitimate 
births  are  entirely  unknown  in  these  settlements 
and  true  misery  is  never  felt,  as  the  poor  are  cared 
for  by  the  settlers,  who  are  all  encumbered  with 
large  families.  The  poor  pass  their  time  making 
stays  from  house  to  house,  each  family  feels  it  a 
sacred  duty  to  receive  what  they  consider  the  living 
remains  of  their  ancestors,  and  their  death  is  often 
regretted  as  they  imagine  it  a  duty  and  a  benediction 
which  God  sends  to  them,  for  they  say:  "Whosoever 
giveth  to  the  poor  lendeth  to  the  Lord." 


Halliburton's  Speech. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Mr.  Halliburton,  judge  in  Nova  Scotia,  had 
written  the  following  in  1829:  "While  Germans 
have  a  tendency  to  disappear  in  the  English  popu- 
lation, the  Acadians  live  together  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, keeping  their  religion,  language  and  peculiar 
customs.  They  never  intermarry  with  their  Protest- 
ant neighbors.  Among  themselves  they  speak  but 
French."  This  great  man's  friendship  for  the  Abbot 
Sigogne  continued  to  the  period  of  his  election  for 
the  county  of  Clair,  which  includes  St.  Mary's  par- 
ish. These  two  men  of  superior  talent  in  their  dif- 
ferent careers,  understood  one  another  at  their  first 
meeting. 

The  author  of  Sam  Slick  took  great  interestin 
conversing  with  this  French  priest,  whose  life,  ideas 
and  habits  contrasted  so  strangely  with  his  sur- 
roundings. On  his  part  the  priest  felt  a  warm  friend- 
ship for  this  bright,  intelligent,  sensitive,  sarcastic, 
free-of-all  prejudice  Protestant,  and  he  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  notify  his  party  that  they  could  depend  on  his 
influence  in  favor  of  religious  independence;  and 
was  one  of  the  first  to  propose  the  abolition  of  the 
test  oath,  which  barred  all  Catholics  from  holding 
a  public  office.  Father  Sigogne  was  one  oi  the  first 
promoters  of  the  emancipation  act,  presented  and 
unanimously  adopted  by  the  legislature  of  Nova 
Scotia — thanks  to  the  masterly  speech  by  Halli- 
burton in  1827 — the  most  remarkable  part  of  which 
was  his  eulogy  of  the  Acadians,  of  whose  manners 
and  habits  he  had  made  a  special  study  during  his 
residence  in  Annapolis,  from  1722  to  1724.  Says 
Beamish  Murdock,  referring  to  it,  "it  was  the  most 
magnificent  and  eloquent  oratory  that  I  ever  heard." 
Halliburton  was  then  mentally  and  physically  in  the 


55 

prime  of  his  life.  The  bracing  air  of  his  native 
home,  Windsor,  gave  him  a  robust  appearance,  al- 
though his  figure  was  still  young  and  spare.  On  this 
occasion  he  literally  carried  his  audience  with  him 
by  the  force  of  his  eloquence,  aided  by  his  classical 
and  historical  studies,  and  by  his  appeal  to  the 
tenderest  feelings  of  human  nature.  The  speech  is 
too  closely  allied  to  our  subject  to  pass  without 
citing  a  few  passages.  After  informing  them  that  he 
represented  a  great  number  of  Catholics,  and  that 
for  several  years  he  had  been  an  intimate  friend  of 
their  venerable  pastor.  Father  Sigogne.  "For  what 
reason,"  he  asked,  "does  the  Protestant  and  Cath- 
olic mix  in  the  same  social  reunions — and  live  in 
perfect  harmony?  Why  does  the  Catholic  weep  at 
the  death  of  a  Protestant  friend  he  has  loved  while 
living?  Why  does  he  act  as  pall-bearer  to  his  final 
resting  place  and  mingle  his  tears  with  the  dust  that 
covers  his  friend?  If  in  Great  Britain  there  is  an 
evident  feeling  of  hostility  it  must  be  for  other 
causes  than  a  simple  difference  of  religion.  Ireland 
offers  the  saddest  spectacle.  While  the  Catholic  is  in 
duty  bound  and  naturally  inclined  to  support  his 
priest  he  is  obliged  by  the  laws  of  the  country  to 
pay  tithe  to  the  Protestant  minister.  Then  you  see 
churches  without  believers,  ministers  without  con- 
gregations, and  bishops  enjoving  immense  salaries 
without  any  duty  to  perform.  These  Catholics  must 
be  more  or  less  than  men  if  they  suffer  all  this  with- 
out complaint;  they  feel  it  and  murmur.  The  Prot- 
estants on  their  part  are  continually  clamoring 
against  them,  and  declare  them  a  bad  class  of  peo- 
ple. All  Catholic  church  property  has  passed  into 
the  hands  of  the  Protestant  clergy,  also^ie  tithe, 
lands  and  domains  of  the  monasteries.  Who  can 
contemplate  without  regret  those  monasteries,  ven- 


56 

erable  even  in  their  ruins?  What  have  become  of 
those  scientific,  charitable  and  hospitable  asylums, 
where  the  pilgrim,  weary  from  a  long  journey,  or 
the  harrassed  traveler,  stopped  for  rest  and  received 
a  hearty  welcome;  where  the  poor  received  their 
daily  food — and  implored  with  a  heart  full  of  grati- 
tude the  benedictions  of  the  pious  and  good  mci 
that  fed  them.  Those  asylums  where  knowledge 
held  her  assizes  and  science  plunged  her  flaming 
hand  into  the  darkness  of  barbarism  and  ignor- 
ance.'^ 

"Allow  me  Mr.  President  to  linger  as  I  often 
have  in  times  long  ago  during  hours  and  days 
amidst  these  ruins;  you  also  must  have  lingered  to 
contemplate  those  desolate  ruins.  Tell  me  while 
contemplating  those  cloisters,  and  while  your  foot 
tread  their  mosaic  paths  through  which  the  grass 
grows,  have  you  not  imagined  hearing  the  solemn 
trciad  of  the  monks  in  their  holy  procession?  Have 
you  not  imagined  hearing  the  chimes  of  the  bells 
pouring  forth  in  the  eve  their  soft  and  melancholy 
sounds  through  the  quiet  and  solitary  valley?  Have 
you  never  heard  the  Seraphic  choirs  diffuse  the  har- 
monious chant  of  their  hymns  through  immense 
waves  or  aerial  arches?  Do  not  these  columns  in 
ruins,  those  Gothic  arches,  those  cracked  and  ivy 
covered  walls  appeal  to  you,  while  reminding  you 
of  the  spoilers,  at  least  to  shed  a  tear  in  the  memory 
of  those  great  and  good  men  who  founded  them? 
It  has  been  said  that  Catholics  were  the  enemies  of 
liberty,  but  that  assertion,  like  many  others  brought 
against  them,  is  utterly  false^  Who  established  the 
grand  chart?  Who  established  our  judges,  our  jury 
system,  our  magistrates,  our  sheriffs,  etc?  It  was 
the  Catholics.  It  is  to  those  slandered  people  that 
we  owe  everything  of  which  we  are  proud  to-day. 


57 

Were  they  not  loyal  and  brave?  Ask  the  green  hills 
of  Chrystler's  Farm;  ask  at  Chateauguay;  ask  the 
hills  of  Queenstown.  They  will  tell  you  they  cover 
the  loyal  and  brave  Catholics,  the  ashes  of  heroes 
who  died  for  their  country.  Here  their  sentiments 
had  full  sway,  because  there  was  no  cause  for  dis- 
sention  and  no  properties  to  dispute.  They  were 
looked  upon  as  good  subjects  and  good  friends. 
Friendship  is  natural  to  man's  heart.  It  is  like  the 
ivy  searching  the  oak,  twining  around  its  trunk, 
embracing  its  branches,  surrounding  them  with 
beautiful  wreaths  and  climbing  to  the  top,  balances 
its  magnificent  banner  of  foliage  above,  as  though 
proud  of  having  conquered  the  king  of  the  forest. 

"Look  at  the  township  of  Clare.   There  you  see  a 
magnificent   spectacle,   a   whole   nation   having  the 
same  habits,  speaking  the  one  language,  and  united 
in  the  one  religion.    It  is  a  spectacle  worthy  of  the 
admiration  of  man  and  the  approbation  of  God.   See 
their  worthy  pastor  the  able  Sigogne,  at  the  rising 
of    the    sun    surrounded   by  his   people   rendering 
thanks  to  the  author  of  all  gifts.    Follow  him  to  the 
sick  bed;  watch  him  diffuse  the  balm  of  consolation 
on  the  wounds  of  the  afflicted.    Follow  him  in  his 
field  showing  an  example  of  industry  to  his  people; 
in  his  cabinet  instructing  the  innocent  youth.    Fol- 
low him  in  his  chapel;  you  will  see  the  savage  from 
the  desert  with  all  his  fierce  and  untamed  passions. 
You  will  see  him  conquered  and  submissive  in  the 
presence  of  the  holy  man.    You  will  hear  him  tell 
the  Indian  to  recognize  God  in  the  calm  and  soli- 
tude of  the  forest,  in  the  roar  of  the  cataract,  in  the 
splendid  order  of  the  planetary  system,  in  the  regu- 
lar order  of  day  and  night;  the  Indian  does  not  for- 
get to  thank  God  in  his  own  dialect  for  the  revela- 
tions the  white  man  has  taught  him."    Mr.   Halli- 


58 

burton  next  recited  the  dispersing  of  the  Acadians; 
then  as  a  representative  of  the  descendants  of  those 
people,  he  demanded  of  the  deputies  the  abolition 
of  the  test  oath,  not  as  a  favor,  as  he  would  not  ac- 
cept it  through  compassion,  but  from  their  justice. 
"Any  man."  said  he  in  conclusion,  "who  puts  his 
hand  on  the  New  Testament,  and  says  this  is  my 
book  of  faith,  be  he  Catholic  or  Protestant,  what- 
ever may  be  the   difference  of  opinion  on   certain 
doctrines,  he  is  my  brother  and  I  embrace  him.   We 
are  traveling  different  paths  to  the  same  God.    In 
my  pathway  of  life  I  meet  a  Catholic.    1  salute  him, 
travel  with  him,  and  when  we  arrive  at  the  term, 
'flammantia    lumina    mundi,'   and   when   this   time 
comes,  as  it  surely  must;  when  this  tongue  that  to- 
day expresses  my  thoughts  will  chill  in  my  mouth: 
when  this  breast  that  now  breathes  the  pure  air  of 
heaven  will  refuse  longer  to  serve  me;  when  these 
earthly  clothes  will  return  to  the  earth  from  whence 
they  came  and  will  mingle  with  the  dust  of  the  val- 
ley, then  with  the  Catholic  I  will  turn  a  long,  lang- 
uishing look  at  the  past,  I  will  kneel  with  him,  and 
instead   of   saying  like  the   presumptous   Pharisee: 
'Grace  to  God,  I  am  not  like  this  papist,'  I  will  pray 
that  both  being  of  the  same  blood  we  will  both  be 
pardoned,  and  being  brothers  we  will  both  be  re- 
ceived above." 

Such  language  from  a  Protestant  addressed  to  a 
Protestant  audience  could  not  fail  to  produce  its 
effect.  At  the  same  time  he  showed  the  impression, 
the  holy  life  oi  the  Abbot  Sigogne  had  on  all  hiis 
surroundings.  The  Catholics  of  Nova  Scotia,  and 
particularly  the  Acadians,  have  placed  beside  the 
name  of  Halliburton  the  name  of  Mr.  Uniacke,  one 
of  the  most  noted  members  of  the  legislature,  who 
supported  the  deputy  of  Clare,  if  not  with  the  same 


59 

eloquence  at  least  with  the  same  spirit  of  justice. 
With  this  victory  dropped  the  last  chain  from  the 
Acadians  and  opened  an  era  of  liberty  that  has 
made  them  one  of  the  happiest  nations  on  the  face 
of  the  earth. 


Reminiscences. 

CHAPTER    XI. 

Providence  granted  the  Abbot  Sigogne  seventeen 
years  of  life  from  that  date  to  strengthen  the  good 
he  had  done  in  the  midst  of  this  population,  becom- 
ing more  and  more  docile  to  his  voice  and  examples. 
He  died  of  old  age  in  1844,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five, 
taking  with  him  the  regrets  of  all  his  people  and 
everything  that  shows  a  man  that  life  is  worth  liv- 
ing for,  and  the  conviction  of  having  accomplished 
his  duty  and  deeds  that  never  die.   If  ever  you  cross 
St.  Mary's  bay  you  will  see  Abbot  Sigogne's  grave, 
surrounded  with  honor  and  respect.    You  will  see 
there  the  children  whose  parents  he  baptized,  and 
of  whom  he  made  more  worthy  of  the  confessors 
of  the  last  century.     With  the  Abbot  Sigogne  died 
in  Acadia  the  generation  of  Apostoical  men  that  the 
tempest  of  '93  had  scattered  over  the  surface,  and 
divided  into  three  provinces,  namely,  New  Bruns- 
wick, Nova  Scotia,  and  Prince  Edward's  Isle.    The 
small   knots   of  families   the   missionaries   had   dis- 
covered on  the  verge  of  being  lost,  that  they  organ- 
ized, disciplined,  to  whom  they  gave  a  part  of  their 
lives  and  virtues,  have  to-day  become  legions,  full 
of  brave  and  courageous  people  on  whom  we  can 
•depend.    After  increasing  on  their  own  merit,  by 
doubling  every  twenty-one  years  from  1785  to  1827, 
they  doubled  every  twenty-two  years  from   1827  to 

1871.  The  last  official  census  of  1881  states  that 
there  is  to-day  56,635  Acadians  in  New  Brunswick, 
41,219  in  Nova  Scotia,  which  forms  part  of  Cape 
Breton,  10,757  on  Prince  Edward's  Isle.  Those  fig- 
ures do  not  include  the  Acadian  population  of  the 


6i 

Magdelena  Isles,  which  numbers  over  three  thou- 
sand, nor  those  north  of  the  Gulf  of  the  Bay  Des 
Chalems,  Newfoundland  and  the  State  of  Maine, 
belonging  to  the  Madawaska  group,  which  will 
raise  about  twenty  thousand  souls,  giving  the  Aca- 
dian population  of  all  these  regions  a  total  of  over 
130,000  souls.  As  I  said  before  the  Acadians  are  rep- 
resented by  men  of  their  own  race.  In  the  Senate 
and  House  of  Commons  they  have  their  deputies 
and  even  their  local  legislators.  Men  educated  and 
noted  among  all  classes  of  society,  we  no  longer 
count  the  number  of  their  schools,  at  the  head  of 
which  stands  Memramcook's  classical  college,  with- 
out a  doubt  the  best  Catholic  institution  in  the 
Maritime  Provinces.  They  have  several  convents 
devoted  to  the  instruction  of  youth  in  each  of  the 
Provinces,  and  as  far  as  the  Magdelena  Isles  they 
control  the  election  in  many  counties.  They  have 
their  French  papers  that  teach  them  their  rights, 
their  attachment  to  their  language  and  to  France, 
at  the  same  time  declaring  their  entire  fidelity  to 
England.  In  fact  they  possess  all  the  elements  of 
progression  possible  to  wish.  The  reunion  of  the 
British  Provinces  in  Confederation  strengthened 
them,  at  the  same  time  binding  them  more  closely 
to  their  brothers  in  Canada.  In  fifty  years  they  will 
number  half  a  million,  and  will  be  a  power  in  the 
Maritime  Provinces,  as  the  Canadians  are  to-day  in 
the  Confederation. 

France  has  been,  till  the  middle  of  the  last  cen- 
tury, one  of  the  greatest  colonial  powers  in  the 
world.  The  moment  seems  propitious  to  present  to 
the  public  the  researches  I  publish  here.  It  is  sad, 
indeed,  in  exhibiting  the  national  character,  to  call 
back  the  painful  end  of  efiforts  which,  at  their  begin- 
ning, raised  such  bright  and  legitimate  hopes,  but 


62 

we  must  overcome  the  national  repulsion  generated 
by  misfortune  and  fix  our  minds  on  these  sad  recol- 
lections of  the  past,  to  derive  from  our  disasters  use- 
ful information  to  guide  and  strengthen  our  conduct 
in  the  future.  We  know  that  it  is  not  without  con- 
cern for  us  to  follow  the  French  people  abandoned 
in  our  old  possessions  and  to  show  what  has  be- 
come of  their  posterity,  through  the  difficulties  and 
trials  of  a  foreign  domination.  France  seems  to 
have  forgotten  that  in  the  dark  hour  of  her  history 
important  populations  of  her  own  blood,  and  in 
spite  of  misfortune,  faithful  to  their  origin,  were 
forsaken  by  her.  Who  remembers  to-day,  Acadia, 
Canada,  Louisiana,  or  even  Maritius,  though  so  re- 
cently lost?  Who  has  any  recollection  of  places 
illustrated  by  so  many  heroic  fights,  and  the  devc*ed 
patriotism  of  their  inhabitants?  It  is  hard  to  awaken 
remembrances  of  our  past  glory,  and  to  point  out 
that  France  has  been  the  first  to  commence  this 
wonderful  development  of  civilization  in  North  Am- 
erica, while  losing  through  her  carelessness,  the 
generous  children  she  knew  not  how  to  defend. 

Courageous  colonists,  who  with  energetic  perse- 
verance have  faced  persecutions  and  abandonment, 
you  have  kept  everywhere,  not  only  the  tradition, 
but  also  the  religion,  customs,  language  and  love  of 
your  country.  Has  not  the  time  arrived  to  depart 
from  that  selfish  indifiference  with  which  we  re- 
warded their  affection?  Those  to  whom  the  great- 
ness and  prospect  of  France  are  yet  worthy  of  con- 
sideration will  understand  that  to  call  attention  to 
the  national  question  is  to  attend  to  the  future 
eventually  laid  up  for  the  French  race. 


Tragedy  of  Claude  de  la  Tour. 

CHAPTER  XIT. 

Five  hundred  and  seventy-nine  miles  in  twenty- 
four  hours  by  the  Intercolonial  road  from  Quebec 
to  St.  John,  New  Brunswick.  The  train,  as  usual  on 
that  line,  was  just  late  enough  to  enable  me  to  miss 
the  boat  making  three  trips  per  week  between  St. 
John,  Digby  and  Annapolis.  Compelled  am  I  to 
wait  until  night  for  the  s'eamer  from  St.  John  to 
Yarmouth,  Nova  Scotia.  These  delays  are  so  fre- 
quent that  gossip  says  there  is  an  understanding  be- 
tween the  railroad  conductors  and  St.  John  hotel 
keepers,  the  latter  having  the  reputation  of  charging 
exorbitant  prices  to  travelers.  My  experience  at  the 
Royal  Hotel  will  confirm  the  above  statement. 

Far  away  to  the  south  the  blue  shores  of  Nova 
Scotia,  separated  here  by  the  narrow  but  high  chain 
of  mountains,  with  a  suspension  bridge  a  hundred 
feet  above  the  gorge,  at  the  bottom  of  which  the  St. 
John  River  percipitates  itself  in  a  foaming  cataract 
of  elegance  and  strength.  From  this  point  can  be 
v^itnessed  one  of  nature's  greatest  wonders  on  the 
continent.  The  tide  that  rises  as  high  as  twenty-six 
feet  in  this  vicinity  engulfs  itself  in  this  gorge,  re- 
pulses the  current  and  permits  for  a  few  minutes 
vessels  to  mount  above  the  cataract.  In  1634  Baron 
La  Tour,  a  Huguenot  gentleman,  built  a  fort  on 
Point  Carleton,  opposite  Navy  Island,  a  few  rods 
above  the  oataraat.  where  he  did  a  profitable  busi- 
ness in  pelts  and  trading  with  the  Indians.  This  fort, 
now  entirely  demolished,  witnessed  one  of  the  most 
tragical  events  in  the  annals  of  America.  Leaving 
Paris  with  his  son  Charles  Amador,  then  fourteen 


64 

years  of  age,  Claude  La  Tour  at  first  thought  of 
settling  in  Acadia,  near  Port  Royal.  Seventeen 
years  later  Charles  La  Tour  was  elected  governor  of 
Acadia  through  the  death  of  Biencourt,  son  of  Pout- 
rincourt,  whom  he  succeeded. 

Claude  De  La  Tour  being  taken  prisoner  by  the 
English  some  time  previous  was  conducted  to  Lon- 
don,  where  he  was  surrounded  by  caresses,  made 
Baronet,  and  married  to  the  first  Maid  of  Honor  of 
Queen  Henriette  of  France,  wife  of  Charles  the  L 
the  same  Princess  that  was  immortalized  by   Bos- 
suet.   Claude  De  La  Tour  offered  the  King  of  Eng- 
land to  secure  him  the  keys  of  Fort  St.  Louis,  the 
ably  fortified  post  held  by  the  French  in  Acadia.   He 
sailed  with  two  frigates  for  America  and  anchored 
under  the  walls  of  Fort  St.  Louis,  of  which  but  a 
few  ruins  remain,  and  proposed  to  his  son  to  deliver 
the  place  to   him.    In   return   he   assured  him   the 
greatest  honors   awaited  him   in   London,  and  the 
supreme  Government  of  Acadia  in  the  name  of  the 
King  of  Great   Britain.    "Father,"  answered  Chas. 
De  La  Tour  indignantly,  "you  are  greatly  mistaken 
if  you  think  I  would  deliver  this  fort  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemies  of  this  State.    I  will  defend  it  for  the 
King,  my  master,  as  long  as  I  have  a  breath  in  my 
body.   I  highly  esteem  the  positicn  offered  me  by  the 
King  of  England,  but  will  never  purchase  it  at  the 
price  of  treason.    The  Prince  I  serve  is  able  to  re- 
compense me,  but  should  he  forget  me,  in  my  fidel- 
ity  I   will  find   the   best  of  all   rewards." 

Seeing  there  was  no  alternative  he  landtd  his  troops 
and  cannon  and  attacked  the  fort,  where  he  was  gal- 
lantly repulsed  and  forced  to  retreat.  Becoming  at 
the  same  time  a  traitor  of  France  and  the  cause  of 
a  disaster  to  England,  the  poor  unfortunate  dared 
not  return  to  Europe.    He  advised  his  wife  to  return 


65 

with  the  vessels  to  England,  for  there  was  nothing 
left  him  but  shame  and  misery.  "Never,"  assured 
the  noble  woman;  "I  have  not  espoused  you  to 
abandon  you  at  the  first  reverse  of  fortune.  Where- 
ever  you  will  conduct  me,  and  no  matter  to  what 
misery  you  may  be  reduced,  I  will  always  be  your 
faithful  companion.  My  happiness  shall  always  be 
to  share  your  grief."  La  Tour  then  turned  tc^  his 
son,  whose  grandeur  of  soul  he  began  to  under- 
stand, and  asked  fqf  clemency.  The  hero  did  not 
belie  himself,  but  taking  his  father  and  family,  gave 
them  a  house  and  a  bountiful  supply  of  everything 
necessary,  on  condition  that  he  and  his  wife  should 
never  put  their  foot  inside  the  fort,  where  they  lived 
in  peace  and  comfort  several  years. 


Acadian  Recollections. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  writer  of  this,  being  a  descendant  of  the 
Acadian  exiles,  ventures  to  offer  a  contribution  to 
their  sad  history,  partly  derived  from  records,  and 
partly  from  impressions  made  by  recitals  of  those 
among  whom  I  was  reared.  Jt  is  true  that  those 
who  made  the  terrible  journey  through  the  wilder- 


OKT    TOLD    ACADIAN    LF.GENDS. 

ness  had  been  gathered  by  death  before  my  birth, 
but  I  well  remember  seeing  and  conversing  with 
their  children  born  after  their  departure  from  their 
original  homes,  some  on  board  the  vessel  that 
carried  them  to  the  English  colonies,  others  in  the 
forest  during  their  wanderings  in  search  of  a  place 
to  rest. 


67 

Some  of  those  people,  then  very  old,  had  been 
nursed  by  their  mothers  all  through  the  long,  weary 
way,  as  in  terror  they  fled  they  knew  not  where. 

These  sorrowiu.  stories  were  so  burned  into  my 
young  heart,  that  in  my  after-journeyings  through 
the  province  I  have  eagerly  listened  to  repetitions 
by  their  descendants,  who  tell,  with  touching  pathos, 
the  incidents  handed  down  in  families,  from  genera- 
tion to  generation.  The  length  of  time  that  has 
elapsed  makes  it  impossible  to  now  give  primitive 
exactitude,  and,  <^herefore,  this  record  must  bear 
somewhat  the  form  of  legends  of  my  native  village 
where  my  story  begins. 

Going  backward  more  than  a  century,  eastern 
Canada  was  a  trackless  wilderness.  It  was  1755  or 
1756  when  a  few  families  were  seen  wending  their 
way  through  it;  all  victims  of  the  same  misfortune, 
who,  for  some  cause,  now  unknown,  halted  on  the 
banks  of  the  Mont-eal  river,  and  decided  that  they 
were  now  sufficiently  hidden,  and  might  venture 
to  there  establish  a  home. 

It  was  a  curious  but  not  unnatural  fancy,  that  the 
exiles  usually  named  any  new  place  they  might 
decide  to  occupy,  after  som  one  that  was  dear  to 
them  in  the  land  from  which  they  had  been  ex- 
pelled. 

This  group  had  found  a  spot  where  they  deter- 
mined to  begin  anew  the  struggle  of  life,  to  try  once 
more  what  unremitting  toil  might  bring  forth^  and 
named  it  Little  Acadia — after  their  lost  country. 
Thus  began  a  little  colony,  toward  which  other 
fugitives,  as  if  by  instinct,  worked  their  weary  way. 
The  scenes  then  occurring  there  would  soften  the 
flintiest  heart.  The  poor  unfortunates  arrived,  one 
after  another,  in  straggling  groups  and  wholly  desti- 
tute, seeming  like  parts  of  a  wreck  after  a  storm, 
drifted  by  the  winds  to  the  same  shore.     Fathers, 


68 

with  large  families  came,  accompanied,  perhaps,  by- 
some  of  their  neighbors.  Often  poor  young  girls 
lived  through  the  journey  while  their  aged  parents 
died  by  the  way,  from  hardship  and  starvation,  find- 
ing their  last  rest  in  the  gloomy  forest.  Groups  of 
these  wanderers  were  often  partly  or  wholly  lost  in 
the  wilderness  to  be  seen  no  more.  The  survivors, 
filled  with  grief  for  those  that  had  disappeared  by 
the  way,  and  embittered  toward  those  who  had 
caused  their  misery,  could  but  recount-  the  painful 
story  and  weep.  Occasionally  an  old  mother,  whose 
love  for  her  children  was  great  enough  to  surmount 
every  obstacle  and  bear  with  all  the  hardships  of  the 
journey,  would  finally  reach  the  place  that  was  to 
witness  the  last  sacrifice  of  her  life.  In  her  dying 
hour,  she  might  be  heard  asking  God  to  bless  all 
the  poor  exiles  around  her,  and  then,  in  a  way  so 
innocent  and  pure  that  you  would  know  it  was  the 
last  wish  of  a  loving  mother's  heart,  hear  her  cry, 
"My  children,  where  are  they?  Alas!  God  only 
knows;  but  if  any  of  you  ever  see  them,  tell  them 
that  their  old  mother  died,  blessing  them,  and  ask- 
ing God  to  protect  them  from  the  tyrany  of  the 
English,  and  lastly,  to  forgive  them." 

In  pain  and  poverty,  sighs  and  tears,  thus  was 
Little  Acadia  begun,  and  in  the  midst  of  these  hum- 
ble unfortunates,  in  the  fields  close  by  the  cottage, 
the  erection  of  which  was  just  starting,  my  father 
was  born;  and  in  the  same  colony  I  first  saw  the 
light   of  day. 

This  constitutes  but  the  insight  into  the  multitude 
of  oft-told  experiences,  of  trials  and  sufferings  that 
had  seared  the  souls  of  the  exiles,  and  prepared  their 
soil  for  the  growth  of  the  tares  of  hate  which  to  this 
day  flourish  in  luxuriance. 

No,  the  voice  of  their  children  shall  not  be 
hushed;  it  will  outlive  these  courts,  upheld  by  the 


69 

tears  and  sufferings  of  a  nation,  rocked  in  the  cradle 
of  their  misery.  The  calumny  will  fall  upon  the 
memory  of  those  vile  representatives  of  a  noble 
English  crown,  and  follow  them  beyond  their 
tombs. 

(The    End.) 


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